MANILA — Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Virginia Orogo is seeking more beneficiaries of the modified conditional cash transfer (MCCT) program, which targets to give cash grants to those with special needs.
In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA), DSWD Undersecretary Camilo Gudmalin said Orogo had ordered her personnel to seek more potential beneficiaries. Currently, the MCCT beneficiaries total 100,000 families.
The beneficiaries cover those living in the streets; those with special needs; indigenous people (IP) living in geographically-isolated areas that have not availed of the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program; persons with disabilities; and senior citizens.
The cash transfer program will have a condition on the beneficiaries after one year. However, Orogo pointed out the DSWD is still studying what kind of condition to put on the beneficiaries.
Under the CCT, among the conditions are those with children, lactating pregnant women; and regular check-ups for the mother and child.
Through the program, which is paid in six payouts, the government is also shouldering the rent of the beneficiaries.
Orogo expects that the beneficiaries will have an improvement in their lives or a job after a year, so that they could take over paying the rent.
The program also targets to transfer MCCT beneficiaries into the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program.
Orogo added she is in talks with Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council Secretary Eduardo del Rosario to improve the lives of the homeless, who live in the streets and under bridges.
The DSWD, on the other hand, is organizing a one-stop shop in IP communities to accommodate those who have not availed of the Pantawid, Pamilyang Pilipino Program yet. (Juzel Danganan/PNA)
