Thousands of 4Ps beneficiaries gain jobs, digital skills

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Around 3,000 beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) from Iloilo City and nearby towns in Iloilo province accessed job opportunities and attended digital and financial literacy sessions during the Regional Partnership Summit on Livelihood and Employment held on Sept. 8 at Robinsons Place Pavia.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development–Region 6 (DSWD-6) reported that 1,235 beneficiaries availed of livelihood and employment opportunities, while 1,765 participated in the Family Development Session (FDS) on digital financial literacy and the Tamang Tulong sa Tamang Impormasyon (3TI) orientation.

Therese Fely Legaste, DSWD-6 regional information officer, said the session is part of the agency’s family development initiative.

“They were advised on how not to fall prey to online scams and how to detect fake news from real ones,” she said.

On the employment side, 56 employers participated in the job fair in partnership with the Public Employment Service Office (PESO)–Iloilo and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Selected 4Ps beneficiaries will undergo pre-employment orientation with assistance from partner agencies to help them secure stable, long-term employment to support their families.

“Alam naman natin, walang forever sa kahirapan, kaya by connecting them to job opportunities, they can develop financial independence from conditional cash transfers provided by the government,” said Assistant Secretary Marites M. Maristela, head of the Office of the Undersecretary for Conditional Cash Transfer.

Meanwhile, OIC–Assistant Regional Director for Operations Katherine Joy Lamprea emphasized that the summit is more than a compliance activity.

She said it focuses on building self-confidence, recognizing individual capabilities, nurturing values in health, education, and family, and sustaining the dream of a better future.

“This is one of the steps in linking you to real opportunities for employment and livelihood,” Lamprea added.

“Sa liwat, kami sa DSWD magabulig sa inyo transition from reliance on cash grants to becoming self-reliant, hardworking, and persevering individuals who can sustain your families with dignity.”

Other participating agencies included the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which facilitated PhilSys registration, and other government offices such as PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, TESDA, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Philippine National Police (PNP), all of which set up help desks to address inquiries and assist in accessing services.