By Rey Anthony H. Chiu

The government is now seeking help in finding beneficiaries of the country's flagship conditional cash transfer (CCT) program who may have relocated to unaffected areas in the country. This developed as authorities feared that these beneficiary families stop getting their cash assistance, when nobody could get their whereabouts. According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), after super typhoon Yolanda affected thousands of families in the Visayas, including the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the DSWD though its regional offices is now locating all affected beneficiaries of the 4Ps. Reports have said that families, who have been beneficiaries of educational and nutrition cash assistance but were rendered homeless by the two calamities that hit Bohol, have relocated to relatives who are living in non-calamity affected areas. Right now, the DSWD is currently updating its database to find these families and reconnect the lines for the continued receipt of the cash grants.

“This effort aims to expedite the updating of the beneficiaires' data and information needed to ensure that they will continue to receive their grants due them,” according to Aileen Lariba, information officer of the 4Ps. Many of these affected beneficiaries were displaced and most of their belongings were washed-out including their Pantawid IDs, LBP Cash Cards and other documents. Over this, beneficiaries who have transferred to other areas are advised to contact the DSWD municipal officers in their new areas, or when in 4Ps covered areas, call on the municipal links or city links. “Massive public announcements are conducted to notify beneficiaries from Yolanda affected areas that they should see the city or municipal links in the city/municipality they are currently residing,” she said. Making sure of the continuity of beneficiaries' grants also ensures continuity of their children's education and access to health services. Even after the huge devastation of their lives and the destruction of their properties due to Yolanda, these beneficiaries do not deserve to be left behind, DSWD though Lariba said.