Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are becoming more financially literate and ready for disaster events through the different complementary programs offered by civil society organizations (CSOs).
Catholic Relief Services (CRS), a CSO-program partner of the DSWD, offers responsive complementary services along emergency response, disaster risk reduction, livelihood through microfinancing, and youth empowerment, among others, to 4Ps beneficiaries.
During a media tour organized by the Social Marketing Division of the 4Ps National Program Management Office at the CRS Office in Intramuros, Manila, some 4Ps beneficiaries shared the impact on their lives brought by the engagement of program stakeholders, such as the CRS.
Olivia Dealagdon, a former 4Ps beneficiary from Tondo, Manila, who is now an active Private Sector Provider of the CRS’ Saving and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) program, said, “Indeed, combining the efforts of DSWD and CRS would greatly enhance our preparedness for disasters. Disasters vary greatly, from earthquakes to fire incidents.”
As part of the SILC, Olivia leads a community-based group for micro-financing that provides a safe place for poor households to save and borrow to increase their income. “The DSWD provides financial grants while the CRS helps us in saving money, making us more prepared for any future disasters,” Olivia added.
As of December 2023, the CRS’s SILC has benefited some 240 4Ps members from different barangays in Pateros and in the cities of Manila, Pasig and Caloocan helping them manage their existing resources by teaching basic financial management skills, on top of the financial literacy training under the 4Ps’ family development sessions (FDS).