DSWD-7 Clarifies Issue on Products Endorsement

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Central Visayas clarifies that it does not endorse any products intended for the health grants of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries.

“We received reports particularly in the province of Siquijor that our 4Ps partner-beneficiaries were asked to buy a certain vitamin supplement. We would like to inform the public that we are not endorsing nor requiring them to buy such product,” said Regional Director Ma. Evelyn B. Macapobre.

Based on the report, sales agents of the product visited the different towns in Siquijor and targeted 4Ps beneficiaries since they know that they receive health grants from DSWD.

“Pantawid beneficiaries must not be swayed by these sellers who are using the names of their Parent Leaders or even our Pantawid City or Municipal Links (C/MLs) to buy a certain product from them,” Director Macapobre added.

Marketing strategies such as using the names of the Municipal Links, showing the order slip of the DSWD employee who bought the products and emphasizing that the products is intended for the health grants of the beneficiaries were applied by the sales agents.

“We also do not allow selling any product during the conduct of the Family Development Session (FDS),” Director Macapobre said.

Based on the agency’s protocol, no agencies, companies, organizations and/or groups can be resource persons or speakers during FDS, Parent Leader’s meeting or any Pantawid activities if there is no existing Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with DSWD.

“Again, we would like to clarify that there is no condition like buying a certain product in order to receive their health grant other than their visit to the Health Center and the monthly attendance to FDS,” Macapobre ended.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a social protection program that invests in the health and education of poor households, particularly of children 0-18 years old. It uses the conditional cash transfer scheme to provide cash grants to the beneficiaries that comply to the program conditionalities.