DSWD-7 opens entries for 4Ps story contest

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development, through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), has opened the submission of entries for the Salaysay ng Buhay ng Pamilyang Pantawid.

The search entails the stories of the development of the family beneficiaries and advocates the positive impacts brought by the program.

The search has three categories that highlight the following characters in the family: Kwento ni Tatay (father’s story), Salaysay ni Inay (mother’s narrative), and Mata ng Batang 4Ps (4Ps child point-of-view).

According to DSWD-7, to qualify and join, the family must be a beneficiary of the program for two years or more and have not yet participated in any contest conducted by the program.

The family must have a clean record and have not been sentenced to any administrative, criminal, or civil charges or any cases that stained their mortality within five years.

The family’s means of livelihood must not come from gambling, prostitution, child labor, extortion, and/or any illegal ways of acquiring money to sustain their needs.

The social welfare and development indicator (SWDI) assessment of the family must be at Level 2 or Level 3 of well-being.

In a statement, DSWD-7 said that the 4Ps family beneficiaries who wish to share their stories of change and inspiration through writing may submit their original entries written in the Filipino language based on the categories or point-of-view they have chosen to their 4Ps Municipal or City Links (C/MLs).

Along with their written stories, the families will submit pictures of their family, a household profile, an achievement matrix, and a consent form.

Twelve stories will be chosen as provincial winners from each category from the four provinces in Central Visayas.

One from each category will be chosen as the regional winner and will be submitted to the national level for another round of judging to determine the country’s winner with the best-written story.

The 4Ps has been implemented in 17 regions throughout the Philippines, with its partner beneficiaries receiving a conditional cash transfer to support the health, nutrition, and education of children aged 0 to 18.

Since the program started in 2008 and has now been enacted into law, it has now helped millions of its beneficiaries break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by fostering change in behavior and investing in children’s futures. — GMR (FREEMAN)