DSWD-7 Releases P10.4M For MCCT Beneficiaries In Bohol And Negros Oriental

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VII has released P10, 478,900 covering about 1,709 partner-beneficiaries of Modified Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCT) in the provinces of Bohol and Negros Oriental as of February 29, 2016.

MCCT covers poor families who were not included in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) of the Philippine Government that invests in the health and education of poor children aged 0-18. It provides assistance to the homeless street families, families in need of special protection and indigenous families, which are not limited to education and health grants, but also include safe and responsive housing assistance with access to social services and economic opportunities for the improvement of their living conditions.

DSWD7 Regional Director Ma. Evelyn B. Macapobre disclosed that the MCCT pay-out in the region started last November 17, 2015 in Mabinay, Negros Oriental with the members of the Ata as the first recipients.

About 323 Ata grantees received P2,654,400 worth of MCCT grants last November 17 and 18, 2015.
Macapobre explained that MCCT is patterned after the regular CCT, conceived to be an alleviation program that appropriately caters to the street dwellers and indigenous groups that are in nomadic conditions due to lack of permanent dwelling.
Like the regular Pantawid Pamilya grants, MCCT partner-beneficiaries will receive P500 (high school) and P300 (elementary) cash grants for education. Another P500 is given as health and Family Development Session conditionalities. Maximum of three children are covered by MCCT.

”The MCCT provides appropriate social welfare interventions like giving of similar cash grants for health and education of children,” Macapobre stressed.

The children of the beneficiaries under the program are required to attend regular classes or through the Alternative Learning System (ALS) mode of education of the Department of Education (DepEd) and should have regular consultation within the nearest health center in their area.

Meanwhile, Celma Malali, 27, a Badjau partner-beneficiary of Barangay Totolan, Dauis, Bohol received her first MCCT cash grant last February.

“Nalipay kaayo ko kay nakapalit ko bagong bag sa akong anak ug sapatos. (I was very happy because I was able to buy new shoes and bag for my children),” she said.

Celma, a mother of four disclosed that it was the first time her family felt the presence of the government at their side.

She and her husband Boyeth were also participants of the recent MCCT family camp at Mercedarian Retreat House.

The MCCT family camp is a three-day event and is full of fun-filled learning activities where participants, especially the parents or guardians, are expected to know the different concepts and functions of a family, the rights of the child and how to promote acceptance in the family and its members including their corresponding responsibilities.