SULTAN KUDARAT (Mindanao Examiner / July 7, 2014) – The Land Bank of the Philippines said it will add more automated teller machines in the province to be able to serve its client, particularly the beneficiaries of the government’s anti-poverty program called Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino.
Erwin Europa, of the Land Bank of the Philippines in the capital town of Isulan, said one more ATM will be added soon in the town of Esperanza. At present, he said the bank has a total of 6 ATMs in Isulan serving some 10,000 government beneficiaries from the towns of Isulan, Esperanza, Senator Ninoy Aquino and Bagumbayan.
Europa bared this during the session of the Sanguniang Panlalawigan on June 7 after he was invited by lawmakers who asked him about the long queue of 4Ps beneficiaries every time they withdraw their money.
Beneficiaries receive as much as P1,400 a month from the government as assistance for health, nutrition and education.
The long queue of people in ATMs was also noticed by Sultan Kudarat Governor Datu Suharto Mangudadatu and Vice Governor Ernesto Matias.
Provincial social welfare officer Henry Albano said they have reported the matter to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino is a human development program of the national government that invests in the health and education of poor households, particularly of children aged 0-18 years old. Patterned after the conditional cash transfer scheme implemented in other developing countries, the Pantawid Pamilya provides cash grants to beneficiaries provided that they comply with the set of conditions required by the program.
The program is being implemented in 79 provinces covering about 1,484 towns and 143 cities in all 17 regions in the country. It has 3,996,967 registered households as of February this year. (Rose Muneza and Deanna Diaz)
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