DSWD eyes ‘Tokhang’ vs pawning of 4Ps cards

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will have its own version of “Oplan Tokhang” to check on the cash cards of beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) or conditional cash transfer of the government.

Tokhang is from the Visayan words toktok (knock) and hangyo (plead) and is the Philippine National Police’s house-to-house operations against illegal drugs. Oplan refers to an “operation plan.” 

The DSWD-National Capital Region said its project development officers had also started knocking on the doors of 4Ps beneficiaries to stop them from pawning their cash cards to get small loans from lenders ahead of their monthly stipend.

Under the “katok cash card” campaign, the DSWD-NCR said its personnel will do the rounds of homes of 4Ps beneficiaries and conduct an on-the-spot check if the families still have their cash cards in their possession.

“This initiative will strengthen the advocacy of the department that we are not tolerating this act of some beneficiaries,” DSWD-NCR regional director Vincent Andrew Leyson said.

The DSWD wants the practice of pawning the cash cards stopped as it is prone to abuse by loan sharks. Based on reports, these moneylenders, who earn a margin of at least P1,000 per transaction, lend their clients up to P5,000 but they pay back P6,000.

Leyson said beneficiaries must comply with the conditions and guidelines of the program as they agreed and even signed an accord for it.

There are 227,373 Pantawid Pamilya household-beneficiaries in Metro Manila who are receiving their cash grants based on their compliance with the conditions of the program.

Of the total number, 196,104 households are receiving their grants through cash cards while the remaining are still in the process of cash card enrollment.

The house-to-house campaign was started by the DSWD-NCR in December 2016 wherein 4Ps case managers or city links and grievance officers who are assigned in a particular area verify reports on cash card pawning and issue written warnings on confirmed cases. 

Aside from the issuance of written warning, guidelines on the misbehavior of beneficiaries were reiterated to the households visited to raise their awareness regarding the sanctions they might face if they commit such act.

If the strategy will be found effective in addressing the issue on cash card pawning, it will eventually be applied in other areas in Metro Manila where cases of cash card pawning have been frequently reported.