DSWD launches ‘Bawal Ang Epal Dito’ drive

DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman INQUIRER.net/Matikas Santos

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has announced a drive to dissociate the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program, also known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), from politics during the campaign period.

DSWD officials, in a press briefing, said the “Bawal Ang Epal Dito” was partially launched Thursday but a full-blown launch will be made in March during the election campaign period.

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman said the campaign confronts the issues of external pressures and eliminates the misconception of the beneficiaries about the control of politicians or parties over Pantawid Pamilya.

Soliman said the 4Ps empowers the beneficiaries to know their rights and to be vigilant against individuals and/or groups who plan to use the program to push for their personal agenda.

The DSWD has received complaints from some beneficiaries who claimed that political candidates in their areas have threatened to delist their names from the 4Ps if they do not vote for them.

Through the department’s Grievance Redress System, Soliman said beneficiaries continuously gave feedback that politicians were allegedly claiming to have the authority to enlist and delist them from the program.

Soliman said only the DSWD Regional and National Offices  are authorized to strike a beneficiary out of the list, Soliman said.