Philippine Information Agency – Balabac, Palawan (1 December) — Conditional cash transfers (CCT) for the 4Ps beneficiaries is now made more accessible, easier, and hassle-free with the new innovative solution utilizing the GCash, rural banks and other money remittances channels.
Land Bank used to distribute these cash grants, which are meant to provide for the education and health needs of the children and pregnant mother in a poor family, in exchange for their compliance to a list of program conditionalities.
However, the beneficiaries in the remote villages are burdened by the transportation costs in claiming their monthly CCTs in the Land Bank. There are only 3 branches of the bank in Palawan and these are located in the poblacion areas.
Innovative Solutions
GCash Remit is one of the solutions to address this problem. With this new cash release scheme, beneficiaries are saved from spending on fares, some of which are even bigger than the cash grants that they are set to receive.
“Secretary (Dinky) Soliman really wants to bring the money closer to the people,” says Director Honorita Bayudan, the new National Program Manager of 4Ps, during the evaluation meeting for the pilot GCash Remit. Bringing the money closer to the people means utilizing “merchants in the market” who can do the job, even if it will entail additional administrative cost for the Department.