Pelaez
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By LITO RULONA
Correspondent .

MISAMIS Oriental’s provincial board will summon the regional director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) over complaints of beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Vice Gov. Jeremy Jonahmar Pelaez said yesterday.

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Pelaez

Pelaez said Director Mari-Flor Dolloga-Libang and other social welfare officials need to shed light on the system in which the 4Ps beneficiaries withdraw their benefits from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Pelaez pointed out that LBP has issued cash cards in order to fasttrack the receiving of the cash grants but there have been delays in the disbursement of the benefits.

He said the usual practice is that cash grants are disbursed to beneficiaries through LBP and can be claimed through cash cards or over-the-counter transactions.

“We want a clear explanation from the DSWD on the issue because this is serious,” Pelaez said.

The problem was raised by provincial board member Gerardo Sabal III during Monday’s regular session. He claimed that 4Ps beneficiaries were being pressured by local government officials to follow their own rules in receiving the cash grants.

“It has come to our knowledge that in the last three months, majority of the beneficiaries have been saying that they could not withdraw through ATMs unless they sign a logbook with their respective barangay and municipal leaders,” he said.

Sabal said this system was not fully explained to the 4Ps beneficiaries.

“It defeats the purpose of the issuance of the ATM cards,” he said.

Sabal said he talked with some 4Ps beneficiaries from Claveria town and he was told that they were required to report every mid-week to the town officials.

“They were told that if they failed, the cash grants would be forfeited,” Sabal said.

Sabal added that the same complaint has also been happening in other municipalities.

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