By VENUS MAY H. SARMIENTO
Pia Dagupan Infocenter

SOCIAL Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral said Saturday for as long as the objectives of the “Ahon Pamilyang Pilipino” program, a flagship program of government against poverty and hunger, are kept and fulfilled by beneficiary-families, how the amount is spent will be entirely up to them.

Cabral said the DSWD precisely monitors the output or result, not the amount given a particular family for the APP program.

At a media conference called during her visit to Dagupan City on
a field inspection and assessment activity of the Area Vocational Rehabiltation Center (AVRC) unit of DSWD in Bonuan, the DSWD head also vowed to see to the relocation of the center’s office that is now threatened to be washed out to sea by big waves battering the beach area.

“The building used to be some 200 meters away from the water (edge) but now the sea is encroaching on the structure,” she described the predicament of the Center. “I am giving my commitment to do something about it,” she told mediamen.

Stressing on the Ahon Pamilyang Pilipino”, she said the project is “a conditional cash transfer program” involving a direct financial assistance to pre-selected poor families who will receive amounts ranging from P300 to P500 monthly under certain conditions

“The beneficiary will continue to receive P500 a month as long as their children go to school, their babies are vaccinated, pregnant mothers have one post-natal care consultation and other health and educational requirements.” Cabral explained.

“When these conditions are fulfilled, the cash transfer (to the family) stays,” she added.

In Pangasinan, a total of 15,053 target households will benefit from the program in the municipalities of Urbiztondo, Bolinao, Aguilar and Mabini.