DSWD distributes smartphones to 256 4Ps beneficiaries in Palawan
In a statement Sunday, DSWD said the distribution of refurbished smartphones is under the Pre-loved Phone Donation Drive, in partnership with the private sector.
It is a part of the agency's 'E-Panalo ang Kinabukasan' campaign, which aims to bring digital financial literacy and tools to 4Ps families, especially those in far-flung areas.
With smartphones, 4Ps beneficiaries can receive their cash grants through digital banking as well as use it for online learning and digital businesses.
'Our aim is to bring government services closer to where people are,' said DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
'With digital tools in hand, families no longer need to walk long distances just to access their cash grants. That alone can change lives,' he added.
During the distribution of smartphones, the 4Ps beneficiaries also engaged in financial literacy sessions.
For Carl Cruz, Globe President and CEO the initiative is about inclusion and access to opportunity: 'We hope these devices would help families not only receive their cash grants easily, but also for them to get the various opportunities to uplift their lives that technology makes possible.'
'This is more than just onboarding users, it is about financial inclusion and making sure no one gets left behind in the digital economy. Beneficiaries can receive their GCash directly and efficiently and they also gain access to digital financial services to support their daily needs.' said Oscar Enrico Reyes Jr., President and CEO of G-Xchange Inc., the mobile wallet operator of GCash.
DSWD has also distributed smartphones in Navotas and Romblon. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
11 hours ago
- GMA Network
Public can now purchase gov't treasury bonds through GCash
The investing public can now purchase the government's 31st offering of the Retail Treasury Bonds (RTB 31) through e-wallet platform GCash's GBonds feature. 'We are thrilled to bring RTB 31 to the GCash app. This collaboration significantly expands our reach, enabling more Filipinos to invest in government securities easily and securely. It's a monumental step toward our goal of a more financially inclusive Philippines, giving more people the opportunity to build their savings and contribute to the nation's economic growth,' said Treasurer of the Philippines Sharon Almanza. The government, through the Bureau of Treasury (BTr), raised P210 billion during the rate-setting auction for the five-year RTB 31 with a gross interest rate of 6% per annum. The Treasury's auction committee upsized the initial offer size of P30 billion after total bids submitted stood at P354.2 billion. The public, including GCash users who signed up for GBonds, can place a buy order for the RTB 31 from August 5 until the end of the offer period on August 15. 'For a minimum investment of P5,000 with no extra fees, GCash users can instantly place a buy order for RTB 31 anytime within the offer period once they sign up for GBonds. More Filipinos will have the chance to take part in nation-building while taking a significant step toward their financial goals through this innovation,' said Martha Sazon, president and CEO of GCash parent Mynt. 'In making RTBs more accessible to millions more Filipinos, we're also enabling retail investors to contribute to the P2.6 trillion borrowing program of the government to fund essential projects.'' Powered by Philippine Digital Asset Exchange (PDAX) Inc. and in partnership with the Treasury, GBonds became available to the public in July, allowing fully verified users to access fixed-income government securities without the need for a bank account. Filipinos can place their bond investment order and get confirmation in a few minutes in the GCash app. Fully verified GCash users with an updated KYC within the past three years just need to open the app, go to GInvest, select GBonds, and register for a PDAX account, subject to their terms and conditions, to complete the registration process. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
15 hours ago
- GMA Network
DSWD rejects calls to scrap 4Ps: It's proven in fight vs. poverty
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has brushed aside calls to abolish the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in favor of lump sum cash grants for beneficiaries to start their own business. "Walang reason na talagang ii-scrap o buwagin ang programa kasi napatunayan that the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program can contribute para bumaba ang ating poverty incidence," Gemma Gabuya, DSWD 4Ps program director, said in a report Wednesday by Dano Tingcungco on Unang Balita. (There's no reason to scrap the program because it has been proven that the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program can contribute to reducing poverty incidence.) The 4Ps is the government's national poverty reduction strategy and a human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfers to poor households for a maximum period of seven years to improve the health, nutrition, and education of children aged 0 to 18. Earlier, Senator Erwin Tulfo suggested that the 4Ps conditional cash transfer program should be replaced with a lump sum livelihood fund, saying some 4Ps beneficiaries prefer livelihood capital instead of monthly cash transfers. "'Yung pang-isang taon nilang matatanggap, ibigay mo na nang lump sum, at bahala ka na d'yan. Pero bago mo bigyan sila ng budget, kailangan alam nila, sabihin nila kung ano'ng gagawin sa pera na 'yon, at may training po sila," Tulfo said. (Give them the equivalent of one year's worth of assistance as a lump sum. It will be up to them what to do with the money. Before giving away the money, however, beneficiaries must declare how they plan to use it, and undergo appropriate training.) The DSWD projects that the 4Ps program would help some 3 million Filipinos get out of poverty. The program is more than about cash dole outs, the DSWD said, as part of the conditions to receive the benefits is that the household's children go to school and that they take regular visits to health centers. Education, health, and things taught through the Family Development Sessions (FDS) are the keys to break the cycle of poverty, according to the DSWD. "Mahirap ang one-time, kasi 'di mo ma-assure na tuloy-tuloy ang pag-aaral ng bata. Pero at least ngayon [sa 4Ps], susundan mo eh, susundan mo at talagang made-develop mo 'yung... behavior. Ito naman yung purpose ng 4Ps eh, yung behavior change. Na talaga yung mga magulang, kahit na mahirap, mabigyan lang ng pagkakataon na makapag-aral ang mga bata, talagang magsusumikap," she added. (A one-time grant makes it hard to ensure a child's continued schooling. But with 4Ps, the progress is monitored, and behavior is developed. That's the focus of 4Ps—behavior change. Some families are inspired to work harder just to keep their children in school.) For Tulfo, providing startup capital for small businesses could offer a more sustainable path out of poverty as compared to monthly handouts which may foster dependency. Kate Hillary Condez, whose family is a 4Ps beneficiary, shared that the program has been instrumental in helping her overcome hardships due to poverty. Her mother enrolled in the 4Ps program in 2019 because she was jobless and wanted to send her children to school. "Sa education po namin, binibili ni mama ng gamit namin sa school 'pag may natatanggap po siya. Sa health naman po namin, 'yung gamot, nakakabili siya ng ibang kailangan namin sa bahay like yung mga bigas po," said Kate. (For our education, my mother would use money from 4Ps to buy our school supplies. For health, she was able to buy medicine and other household needs like rice.) Kate said the family also benefited from sessions that taught them how to better manage the cash grants and become responsible citizens. "Nagtuturo po yung mga municipal ng ibang paraan kung paano magagamit cash grant. And tinuturuan din nila beneficiary na maging aktibong mamamayan—hindi lang po in terms of education, in terms din ng pagiging huwarang pamilya," she added. (They teach different ways to use the cash grant. Beneficiaries are also taught to be active citizens—not just in terms of education, but also in becoming model families.) She has since graduated with a degree in Office Administration and now plans to help her family, knowing that the 4Ps support is limited to a maximum of seven years. For the DSWD, the goal is to empower families like Kate's and guide them out of poverty—not just through money, but through sustained behavioral and developmental change. During his fourth State of the Nation Address last July 28, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. directed the inclusion of homeless individuals in 4Ps and other DSWD programs. On Monday, House Deputy Minority Leader and ML party-list Representative Leila de Lima defended the 4Ps program, saying its beneficiaries are no freeloaders. De Lima, one of the authors of Republic Act 11310 or the law that institutionalized 4Ps, issued the statement in response to Tulfo's statement that the 4Ps should be scrapped and replaced by livelihood assistance instead. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
Globe reaffirms push for GIDA inclusive development
Telecommunications firm Globe said it will continue to support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s call to bring inclusive development to Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs). 'We share the President's vision to create a future where every Filipino can participate in the digital economy,' said Carl Cruz, Globe president and CEO. 'We've seen firsthand how critical it is to connect even the most remote communities. It's not just about putting up cell sites. It's about giving people a fair shot at education, healthcare, safety, and livelihood,' he added. In his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. spoke of the continued challenges in remote areas where internet access, reliable electricity, and public services remain out of reach. He vowed that that all public schools in the Philippines will have internet access before the end of 2025, as part of his administration's aggressive push to modernize education and bridge the country's digital divide. He said that around 12,000 public schools are still without internet and while free WiFi sites have grown to nearly 19,000 nationwide, it is still far from enough. The President also emphasized the need to strengthen the National Fiber Backbone initiative and provide real access for people in the farthest corners of the country. Various efforts from the telco sector to expand internet availability and affordability are gaining ground as the price of internet services continue to go down on a cost per GB basis and internet access is increasing, However, the country continues to face challenges in access and infrastructure especially in remote areas. 'Clearly there are still gaps that we need to address,' said Cruz. 'User density per site needs to improve so that quality of service will also improve.' Globe pointed out that the sector's ongoing work with the government to roll out the Bayanihan SIM is a clear path to solving portions of the digital divide. 'This is one area where government assistance is put to bear. By working together, we're able to get connectivity tools directly into the hands of those who need them most, especially in public schools and disadvantaged communities,' Cruz said. The Bayanihan SIM initiative, launched in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), provides SIM cards preloaded with 25GB of free monthly data. With the entire telco industry onboard, the program aims to benefit a million individuals nationwide. Globe's pilot rollout was held at Kalawakan Elementary School in Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan, where students, teachers, and parents in a GIDA community received free SIMs with ready-to-use data. This initiative complements Globe's broader infrastructure efforts to reach more GIDAs and expand access where it's needed most. In 2024, Globe also deployed 51 solar-powered cell sites in off-grid areas where power lines have yet to arrive. These new sites are now delivering mobile service to places that had long been disconnected, supporting daily learning, communication, and access to public services. To accelerate rollout in GIDAs, Globe works closely with local governments to streamline permitting and gain community support. Through its partnership with DICT, the company has also activated free public WiFi in libraries and schools in underserved municipalities. It has also distributed LTE pocket WiFi devices, SIMs with free data, and Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi kits in schools with limited access to digital tools. In addition, its KonekTayo WiFi service brings affordable, load-based internet to low-income households in remote communities. These initiatives align with the government's efforts to modernize education, strengthen disaster preparedness, expand e-governance, and bring digital inclusion to every region. Globe also continues to advocate for building reforms that can support long-term connectivity, such as the inclusion of dedicated telco rooms in new buildings, one canal policy and ease of doing business.—AOL, GMA Integrated News
