DSWD-Holcim Partnership on Housing Project and 4Ps Livelihood Program in Davao

During our visit in Davao, we traveled to Baranggay Ilang to visit the relocation housing project, given for over 100 families living in flood-prone areas near the Ilang River in Davao City. It's a joint project of Holcim Philippines, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and, City of Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO).

This housing project helped improved lives by providing them a safer place to live and equip them with new skills of additional livelihood options.

We've met some of the beneficiaries and leaders of of Pag-Asa Ilang Homeowners Association, Inc (Pihoa). They shared to the members of the press that they're very happy to have new homes as well livelihood that could support their family needs.

We also learned that some of the families that welcome us were also beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. This program that provides conditional monetary grants to thesee families to improve the health, the nutrition, and the education of their children aged 0-18, maximum of three children. They need to comply with the set of conditions required by the program.

To better understand the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, also known as 4Ps and formerly Ahon Pamilyang Pilipino, is a conditional cash transfer program of the Philippine government under the Department of Social Welfare and Development. It aims to eradicate extreme poverty in the Philippines. The beneficiaries are selected if they are included on the "Listahanan," a data management system that identifies who and where are the poor in the Philippines. Additional qualification is a household that has children 0–18 years old and/or have pregnant women during the assessment and shall agree on all the conditions set by the government to enter the program.

Below is the video on how DSWD select the beneficiaries of 4PS

Below is the video of Pantawid General Explainer:

Other activities include was a visit to the material recovery facility of Brgy. Mahayag to learn on how to create organic fertilizers from biodegradable waste and how to reuse and recycle plastic bottles. This project is initiative of the local government and private sectors that aims to reduce volume of garbage in the barangay.

DSWD also brought us to Mahayag National High School to visit the school's garden. Some of the outstanding students gave us  tour in their garden and taught us the benefits of vegetables and how to plant it.

At the end of the media tour, we visited the community garden where they get their vegetables for consumption and for selling as additional source of income.