KORONADAL CITY – The monthly grants of beneficiaries covered by the government’s conditional cash transfer program has increased, a senior official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office XII (DSWD FO XII) announced Wednesday.

The increase, according to regional director Cezario Joel Espejo, already reflected in the grants of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries last month as part of full scale implementation of Republic Act (RA) 11310 that assures financial aid to qualified and registered poor households.

Last year, President Duterte signed the law in a bid to beef up government’s social services.

Dir. Espejo said that subsidies for enrolled in daycare and elementary shall remain at P300 per child for a maximum of 10 months a year. In the meantime, children enrolled in junior high are going to receive P500 per child, while those in senior high school will receive P700 per child, both in categories receiving an increase of P200 from its previous rates.

A health and nutrition grant of not lower than P750 per month for a maximum of 12 months a year will also be given to the beneficiaries.

At the same time, the director reported the agency has resumed monitoring the health compliance of more than 250 thousand households covered by the program across the region, more than seven months after the program conditionality was waived due to the health crisis brought about by COVID-19.

The conditions  include sending 4Ps beneficiaries’ school-aged children to school, pre and post-natal care for mothers, regular and preventive check-ups for children aged five and below, deworming for children aged 14 and below, and attendance to the monthly conduct of the Family Development Session.

“Our beneficiaries can now visit their respective health centers provided they must strictly follow the minimum health standard,” Dir. Espejo said, noting field workers have started monitoring beneficiaries’ compliance. (JBM / DSWD)