Eighty-six beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in the Caraga Region have successfully transitioned from traditional cash grants to digital transfers, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-13) on Tuesday.
The beneficiaries, hailing from various towns in Agusan del Sur, received smartphones and digital wallets during the rollout of the “e-PANALO Ang Kinabukasan” program on Monday. “Most of these 4Ps beneficiaries are identified under Level 1 or survival category and residing in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas,” the DSWD-13 stated in a news release.
The program aims to equip beneficiaries with the knowledge and tools necessary to receive their cash grants through digital platforms. DSWD Assistant Secretaries Marites Maristela and Ellaine Fallarcuna, along with DSWD-13 Director Mari-Flor Dollaga and Agusan del Sur Vice Governor Patricia Anne Plaza, led the program rollout at the provincial capitol in Prosperidad town.
Representatives from program partners, including Globe Telecom, GCash, the Ayala Foundation, and the Bank of the Philippine Islands Foundation, were also present at the event. “Aside from the SIM cards and smartphones, the program partners from the private sector also provided the beneficiaries with orientation on financial literacy and digital financial services,” DSWD-13 added.