Recent developments in the delivery of social services indicate patterns of distribution to beneficiaries in the various sectors of society from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or so-called 4Ps of P-Noy.
For instance, the latest disbursements under the 4Ps are the Pantawid Pasada for jeepney drivers as well as tricycle drivers. More recently, free birth certificate registrations were given to several families as children-beneficiaries of this program launched by DSWD for the whole month of May 2011.
In a bid to extend the 4Ps to other sectors, especially the most marginalized youth whose parents cannot afford to let their children go to school, Rep. Winston “Winnie” Castelo of Quezon City today proposed a “Pantawid Matrikula” for all children of the urban poor to avail of financial assistance or in the form of books or scholarships to deserving students or poor families.
“I think that we can likewise train our focus in the delivery of social services on the youth especially children or students who can ill afford to be sent to school by their parents who live below the poverty line. This way, government intervention will be rendered more meaningful since through education, most young people will be able to overcome poverty and lift up their living standards in the immediate future”, the QC solon said.
According to Castelo, since poverty is a temporary barrier, it will do well for government to address such concerns in the area of education because of its more lasting impact to fully address the economic plight of the urban poor.
“If we are able to educate them or help them acquire a college education and be gainfully employed, then we would have solved the problem of poverty and in fact, stopped this vicious cycle from recurring. With at least 2 to 3 children in a family enabled to acquire a college education, we would have solved poverty among the ranks of the urban poor,” Castelo strongly pointed out.
“I trust that P-Noy or the appropriate agency of government can soon launch this ‘Pantawid Matrikula’ in time for the opening of the school year on June next month hence the urgency of this personal call,” Castelo finally quipped. 30
