Mai Mislang

VOICES FROM THE ISLANDS Highlights of the Conditional Cash Transfers (Pantawid Pamilya) Regional Workshops By Mai Mislang EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Voices from the Islands is a compilation of discussion outcomes from the multi-stakeholder conditional cash transfer (CCT) or Pantawid Pamilya workshops conducted in sixteen (16) regions across the Philippines. The purpose of these workshops was to understand how CCT is implemented on the ground by consulting not just the implementers and partner government agencies, but most especially the beneficiaries whose living conditions are expected to improve through the program's massive investment in human development. The areas where the workshops were conducted were selected based on initial feedback gathered by the Pantawid Pamilya National Project Management Office (NPMO). These communities had been extremely challenged prior to the program, and are now demonstrating outstanding improvements as a result of Pantawid Pamilya. Changes in the behavior and mindset of the beneficiary, and how this positively affects his/her family and the community, are noteworthy throughout. Project implementers, and representatives of partner agencies and civil society organizations, confirm this through their observations and support for the program. The general format of the workshops mirrors the agenda of the international conference. The first day was a presentation of the CCT systems to review and understand the processes and manpower involved in a nationwide program, from identification of beneficiaries to actual payout. The status of Pantawid Pamilya in the region was also presented to trigger the discussion, and get more people, not just the few outspoken ones, to share their experiences. In addition, day one allowed participants to evaluate the Pantawid Pamilya program in its current form, and many of the common and unique challenges emerged in the discussions. The second day focused on the impacts of CCT and how they have influenced varying situations. It also provided the participants with an opportunity to propose enhancements through the Innovation Sessions, where views of the Pantawid Pamilya stakeholders on the ground on how the program can be sustained were sought and documented. Voices from the Islands includes the achievements of the program, common grievances, and some recommendations on how to further improve the Pantawid Pamilya program.  The gains from the CCT that came to light in the workshops, aside from improvements in the health conditions and education status of the beneficiaries’ children, include the Family Development Sessions (FDS), how it has been instrumental in transforming the behavior of beneficiaries, and how it has managed to penetrate otherwise uncharted territories; the Pantawid Pamilya ID, which also serves as a government-issued ID that has helped beneficiaries secure important documents such as live birth certificates, or have a proof of their ability to pay during financial transactions; free healthcare for Pantawid beneficiaries; the ability of other agencies to use the Listahanan as reference to check for redundancies in their own databases; and families’ increasing self-reliance in times of emergency, as they already know which agency to go to, or how to respond during a natural disaster. The common challenges are inclusion errors in the Listahanan, dishonesty of the household members during enumeration, delay in the updating of beneficiary data, pawning of Pantawid Pamilya cash cards, delayed payouts for modified conditional cash transfers (MCCT) beneficiaries, traveling long distances to nearest school or health center, and supply-side challenges such as lack of venues for the conduct of the FDS or lack of ambulances. The improvements frequently proposed were the institutionalization of Pantawid Pamilya through legislation, regularization of Pantawid Pamilya employees, expansion of the government scholarship program to cover children who are attending college, continuation of PhilHealth benefits and access to the Sustainable Livelihood Program after graduation, and provision of monetary allowances for parent leaders to shoulder out-of-pocket expenses for transport and mobile phone services.  Metro Manila or the National Capital Region was the pilot area, and many of the insights are relevant in the urban setting, such as improved conditions for homeless families and street dwellers. Even the innovations proposed require heavy use of communications technology, such as mobile apps to ease delivery of needed services, which did not figure prominently in the discussions in the provinces.   In many regions, local government units (LGU) are supportive of the Pantawid Pamilya program and have established good working relationships with the stakeholders. This is vital because in the provinces, there are many supply-side challenges, such as lack of office supplies, internet service or venues for community activities that a pro-active LGU can provide through its own budget. Many Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries, particularly indigenous peoples (IPs), reside in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Most of the challenges they confront are related to impediments to their mobility, such as lack of roads, bridges and transportation, inclement weather and natural calamities. For those who need to hop from one island to another to get to the nearest health center or school, residing in GIDAs has become a major obstacle in program compliance.  Situational outcomes arising from the Pantawid Pamilya program, which make the Philippine experience unique, were also discussed during the regional workshops. Some factors that influence these outcomes include the Philippines’ geography and the attendant challenges in delivering services to island communities; the lack of cooperation and understanding of the program by other partner agencies; armed conflict in certain areas; unpredictable weather conditions; and the country’s susceptibility to natural disasters. INTRODUCTION The Pantawid Pamilya regional workshops were conducted at this critical juncture in the country’s history: there is an impending change in the leadership in 2016 on which the future of the program is hinged. The high stakes involved helped to create an atmosphere of resolute commitment among the participants to not only defend the benefits of Pantawid Pamilya, but also bring to light the major obstacles confronting all stakeholders. They also proposed solutions that are doable in an archipelagic state, realistic in their timelines and respectful of Philippine customs. The final result is an unbiased assessment of the program as feedback was obtained directly from the beneficiaries, municipal and provincial links, civil society organizations and government partners operating on the ground. Empowerment and a renewed sense of dignity and respect were the resounding themes of the individual reflections shared. The beneficiaries insisted that Pantawid Pamilya is not a dole-out because of what it expects from them: to learn how to look after themselves and their families by complying with the conditions, exert leadership and participate in activities within the community, and attend Family Development Sessions to become responsible parents and neighbours especially in times of disaster. This is some of that education many of them had long been deprived, especially those residing in the farthest reaches of the archipelago, and many of those whose ideas were sought were more than happy to comply. The beneficiary, from having believed for so long that a college education for their children is impossible, now moves his mindset into the realm of possibility. The intangible effects of this transition to a more positive view of the world by the person, his community, and eventually the rest of the country are manifold, and could only make the extremely difficult process of getting more people out of poverty less excruciating. Teamwork, cooperation and constant communication and how they made possible the gains of Pantawid Pamilya were also dominant themes in the discussions. The beneficiaries have expressed their gratitude knowing full well they could not have improved their quality of life on their own. Their bond with their fellow beneficiaries, their parent leaders, their municipal and provincial links and government service providers is formidable. This open communication and willingness to comply with the education and health conditions have won the support of partner agencies, particularly the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Health (DOH), as well as the local government units, whose respective mandates are likewise fulfilled through the Pantawid Pamilya program. With automated nationwide systems in place, the process of monitoring student attendance and health check-ups is more streamlined, redundancies in the delivery of services are diminished, and dependence on the powers-that-be for aid in all its forms has dwindled. When asked how they would like to see the government work for them after they graduate from the program, many of the beneficiaries replied that a sustainable convergence among government agencies that would still enable them to avail of seedlings to start their farms, or access free health care, would be ideal. The anecdotal evidence you will find here suggests that the CCT program of the Philippines works, but it is far from perfect. There are a lot of moving parts making sure that more than 4.4 million households in the country’s 7,107 islands are served, and inevitably, as in any massive endeavour, things do fall through the cracks. But for the people who have benefitted from Pantawid Pamilya, the benefits far outweigh the costs, and the sacrifices are worthwhile. They have come to accept the wisdom that any undertaking is just as good as the people behind it, and would like to be part of the process to improve it. This poverty reduction program has that ability to lift people out of suffering from within, and these stories will illustrate why the Philippines experience is unique, challenging, transformative, and inspiring. WORKSHOP PROGRAMME The primary objective of the regional workshops was to solicit the unfiltered views of the beneficiaries on the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (or Pantawid Pamilya) and use the findings to trigger a meaningful discussion about the various features of the program during the international conference. With the help of DSWD field office staff, the 2-day regional workshops were conducted in 16 regions divided among 3 teams from the DSWD Central Office. This was attended by a good mix of front liners – beneficiaries, parent leaders, municipal/city links, provincial links, staff from DSWD, representatives from partner government agencies, and civil society organizations. The first day shed light on the various Pantawid Pamilya systems – the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR or Listahanan), delivery mechanisms, beneficiary data management, compliance verification and grievance redress. The goal was to familiarize the participants about the processes every Patawid Pamilya stakeholder goes through, and for them to gain a better appreciation of everyone else’s contributions. The second day was more focused on the future of Pantawid Pamilya, as it encouraged the participants to reflect on their experiences and use that as reference for proposing enhancements to the program. The morning session, in which the participants were divided into 6 sub-groups, was a deep dive into the unique outcomes Pantawid Pamilya has had on common social problems: lack of economic opportunities, patronage politics, disasters, gender inequality, and armed conflict. In the afternoon, the participants were grouped by affiliation for the innovation sessions, wherein they were given the opportunity to think of clever and creative ways to address the challenges they normally confront as a Pantawid Pamilya stakeholder. A few standout recommendations are featured in each of the following insights gleaned from the participants of all the regions visited. The 2-day workshop featured lectures, sharings, testimonials and presentations through song, poetry and role playing. There was also time for fellowship to allow participants to get to know one another. THE REGIONS National Capital Region (NCR) The inaugural workshop provided the venue for all Pantawid Pamilya stakeholders to come together in the same room to discuss the merits and shortcomings of the program. The overall takeaway is a better understanding of what each stakeholder's mandate is, the challenges they confront, and of Pantawid Pamilya's ability to deliver outcomes despite some prohibitive circumstances.  A doctor from Valenzuela, who was once a reluctant participant of Pantawid Pamilya, shared that through the local government unit (LGU)’s assistance, she was able to fully grasp and see the long-term value of the program. She is now a staunch advocate of the program, and even proposed an ambulance-hailing mobile app, similar to the Uber ride-hailing app that allows anyone with a smartphone to hail a taxi or limo service at any time.  The plight of the modified conditional cash transfers beneficiaries (MCCTs), who, in the urban environment, consist of homeless street families and who were also the most active and vocal participants, was brought to light in this workshop. They stressed how meeting the conditions of the program was an empowering experience, which helped them not only become more responsible parents, but more outspoken and engaged members of the community as well.   An LGU partner mentioned that there was one beneficiary that used his being part of Pantawid Pamilya with a sense of entitlement (using it as the rationale for his tardiness). There were also cases of gambling by the parents, where in one instance, a parent asked an individual who is not even 18 years old yet to bring his child to the medical center. Some parents also visit the clinic just to do the weigh-in and have the form signed, without genuine and conscious regard for the long-term health condition of their children.  Some of the participants' recommendations to improve the program include halfway homes for homeless families per LGU, transportation and cellular phone load for parent leaders (PLs), mandatory drug testing for all grantees, awards to recognize outstanding and most compliant beneficiaries, Pantawid Pamilya kiosks for updating information, and leadership training for the youth.  REGION I The recent rounds of assessments under the Listahanan have identified deserving poor households and have delisted some undeserving poor households. Some of those perceived as undeserving were households that have a family member working abroad.  The family development session (FDS) was cited as a venue where friendships are formed among beneficiaries. The challenge exists when children of beneficiaries do not go to school so they could take care of their younger siblings when both parents are away to attend the FDS or for some other purpose.  The beneficiary data management feature of Pantawid Pamilya gave the beneficiaries the opportunity to put their official documents in order. They now understand the value of having all errors in these documents corrected immediately.  During payouts, the market place in the community has become more organized. There has also been a noticeable rise in lending facilities and cooperative-run establishments. MCCT beneficiaries who are indigenous peoples (MCCT IPs) are afforded livelihood opportunities while regular Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries in general are given priority for social services offered by other government agencies.  Some of the group's recommendations include requiring children beneficiaries to attend the FDS during the summer or certain school breaks to educate them about teenage pregnancy, and the provision of an emergency kit for each Pantawid Pamilya household.  REGION II The National Household Targeting System-Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR or Listahanan) was lauded for its ability to cover danger zones and isolated areas in its survey, and to sync with databases of partner agencies such as the DepEd. The common grievances, which also came up in other regional workshops, are the inclusion of families who are perceived to be well-off and families who allegedly lie during the enumeration.  Compliance with the Pantawid Pamilya conditions was hindered by a 1:6 midwife to beneficiary ratio, lack of health centers in the area, use of proxies to be marked present in the FDS despite the parents’ absence, and force majeure scenarios such as rough seas and disasters. The beneficiaries are happy about being given priority during school activities and the construction of additional birthing centers by the DOH.  The beneficiaries proposed the use of a biometric system for better records management while program implementers would like to be considered for hazard pay.  Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) The LGU in La Trinidad, Benguet supports Pantawid Pamilya by providing supplemental funds to Parent Leaders (PLs) to cover communication expenses used for text messages and phone calls. The PLs need this to promptly send announcements and updates to beneficiaries through their mobile phone.  Pantawid Pamilya has encouraged beneficiaries to go out of their comfort zone because they need the help of multiple stakeholders in order to comply with the conditions and receive their grant. As a result, beneficiaries are now more comfortable interacting with other people, and are more visible in town council meetings and activities. In turn, some local officials’ curiosity is piqued, and on their own volition, local officials attend the FDS to gain more awareness about the program.  The problem of beneficiaries pawning their Pantawid Pamilya cash card (for many families, the card is their only tangible asset) was rampant at the beginning. In time, cases of pawning have decreased as this practice is monitored and reported by the beneficiaries themselves. Another problem that gets reported more often now is alleged child abuse, as beneficiaries are better informed through the FDS about the rights of the child and other issues that cause domestic conflicts.  The participants recommended Social Security System (SSS) membership for beneficiaries, inclusion of beneficiaries in the barangay disaster risk reduction and management council (BDRRMC) and the provision of business and financial management training at the FDS.  REGION III It is encouraging that there are beneficiaries who had volunteered to remove themselves from Pantawid Pamilya after reaching a higher standard of living, although there are still many who have yet to delist, according to city links and municipal links. The LGU and partner agencies became more engaged in Pantawid Pamilya after seeing the positive impact the program has had on the beneficiaries, such as the ability to send children from impoverished families to school, up to college. One mayor now shoulders the monthly expense of the municipal links when traveling to and from the FDS venue. The local PhilHealth office has initiated an orientation on the beneficiaries’ health benefits.  Other best practices include Sunday community service where beneficiaries are taught to recycle, and double checking attendance of FDS at both the start and end of every session to prevent people from just having the attendance sheet signed without actually participating in the session. On disaster preparedness, the beneficiaries are taught proper waste management, how to use bottle blocks as substitute for hollow blocks, and landscaping to help control erosions.  The participants proposed more capability building activities for beneficiaries and parent leaders sponsored by the LGU, scheduling a make-up FDS for Pantawid Pamilya grantees who have a regular day job, activities for little kids while the parents are attending the FDS, and a standard FDS guide book for those who conduct the FDS.  REGION IV-A Some beneficiaries had a preconceived notion that once interviewed under Listahanan, they become members of Pantawid Pamilya automatically. There were cases where the enlistment in Pantawid Pamilya of household help who reside in the houses of their well-off employers was questioned. Updating of beneficiary information is also troublesome for beneficiaries with no permanent address. The region is a hotbed for drug trafficking and political violence, as ancestral lands and political bailiwicks are dominated by only four competing families. But according to the beneficiaries, the peace situation has greatly improved when Pantawid Pamilya was implemented. These powerful families did not bother them. Gun for hires were rampant, but some beneficiaries claimed that would-be assassins now enjoy the benefits of Pantawid Pamilya and presumably lose the motivation to resort to crime.  Some beneficiaries also reported that their membership in the program helped in finally securing their certificates of land ownership (CLOAs). The participants recommended more trainings and workshops for CSOs that conduct the FDS, decrease the case load of the program implementers, and standardize the content of the FDS modules. REGION IV-B To encourage increased participation of LGUs in the Listahanan, the Gawad Listahanan Award is given to the LGU with the highest number of poor families provided with social services. One LGU has a tie-up with local fast food giant Jollibee to address nutrition called the "Busog Lusog" program. Another provides a school bus service to student beneficiaries.  Even partner agencies such as DOH at the municipal level have initiated an extension of their services in the upland areas. There is also a PhilHealth coordinator that assists during medical check-ups. These efforts are vital because many indigenous peoples in the area reside in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs), where going to and from school could entail four hours of walking, and weather disturbances could cause the river to overflow. The FDS was lauded for its ability to resolve differences in the household. Couples who are separated reunite, and couples on the brink of separation push back. The participation in the FDS of the man of the house is still low, and it is recommended that they attend more to be enlightened, and help limit the rise of domestic issues. Participants recommend stronger implementation of the local ordinance prohibiting gambling and FDS to include counselling sessions and home visitation.  REGION V During the 2009 Listahanan survey, it was observed that the enumerators were accompanied by local barangay officials. This concerned the beneficiaries since the presence of barangay officials may have influenced the results of assessment as to who gets classified poor or non-poor. A clarification was made that such a perception of influence could be validated through the mandatory proxy means test. The participants shared that through Pantawid Pamilya, children from poor families are now attending school, more people avail of health services, communities and not just households learned to prepare for a disaster, beneficiaries have become less reliant on their political leaders for help, and that there is business activity during pay-out season.  There was one instance where a parent leader took it upon himself to safe keep the cash cards of his beneficiaries in between pay-outs to prevent them from pawning the cards. It was suggested that the practice be discouraged as it limits the beneficiaries' ability to assume responsibility and exercise self-discipline.  The group recommends an annual "family day" gathering for Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries, increase in college scholarships with less stringent qualifications, and a microchip inserted in cash cards for the purpose of tracking, and restricting, pawning.  REGION VI Some of the initial challenges faced by the beneficiaries include the long distances (about 15km) the IPs need to travel to attend the FDS or visit a health center, friction between barangay officials and the beneficiaries because of Listahanan, and updating that takes a year to complete. In spite of this, the MCCT IPs expressed their appreciation for the FDS though they have yet to receive their grant, and for the Pantawid Pamilya IDs as they have not had any form of official government-issued identification before. These IDs have been used by the beneficiaries here and in other regions in availing other government services.  The beneficiaries are taught active citizenship and are consulted in the bottom-up budgeting process espoused by LGUs. They are also taught to manage their finances, take stock of business opportunities, but also set aside some money for a rainy day. Armed conflict has diminished because some former insurgents are now beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya. Child labor has likewise decreased because parent beneficiaries now send their children to school.  Upon graduation from Pantawid Pamilya, the beneficiaries propose that they continue to enjoy their PhilHealth benefits and for government to provide more scholarship opportunities for children.  REGION VII Civil society organizations give priority to Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries in their livelihood assistance programs. DOH, a partner agency, conducts visits in areas that are too far from health centers. It also provides free transportation to pregnant women traveling from the farm to the nearest health facility. The beneficiaries expressed their appreciation for being able to now participate in agricultural fairs. Prior to Pantawid Pamilya, merchants would not sell them their wares but now, the merchants themselves would reach out to them during pay-outs. Some beneficiaries have also established their own small businesses such as distributing beauty products or selling root crops. The FDS was lauded for its ability to improve not just the health, sanitation, and education conditions within the household, but also its ability to foster better understanding of the opposite sex and other family members, which help beneficiaries improve their relationships. The FDS also contributed to disaster preparedness, which proved useful when an earthquake hit in February 2012. Beneficiaries were taught to identify evacuation centers, prepare emergency kits, and provide safety to children. In the same event, a beneficiary shared that she benefitted from livelihood assistance through other DSWD programs such as KALAHI-CIDSS and the Sustainable Livelihood Program that allowed them to overcome the ordeal much faster. The participants propose housing benefits for beneficiaries, waiving of the entrance exam requirement to attend college, transportation service for every Pantawid barangay/cluster, regularization of Pantawid’s frontline workers, and the inclusion in the program of persons with disabilities (PWDs) regardless of age. REGION VIII On health conditionalities, 98.07% of pregnant women from this region visited clinics for their mandatory pre- and post-natal check-ups. On education, a CSO representative shared his observation that parents with no formal education are unable to inspire their children to go to school because they prefer that they help out in the farm. The effort to change this way of thinking is being done through the FDS, which enjoys a compliance rate of 94.96.  There have been difficulties in securing facilities in the barangay for the FDS, and to solve this, beneficiaries such as those from Pinabacdao, Samar forged quid pro quo agreements with other stakeholders in the community. One example is participation in KALAHI-CIDSS activities organized by the barangay and in the Pintakasi or community clean-up project spearheaded by the school, in exchange for guaranteed use of school facilities by the beneficiaries for the conduct of their FDS. Honoraria Marquez of Tarangnan, Samar said, "Pantawid was a big help for our family. Without it, my 11 children would not have been able to survive." She invested the cash grants from the program in a food business, selling lugaw (congee), doughnuts, hotdogs and puto (small cakes). They use their income from this to send their children to school. At present, three children had already finished college (two are licensed teachers and one will soon be taking the board examination in criminology). Two more will finish college this year.  The innovations proposed by this group include compulsory backyard gardening by all beneficiaries, monitoring of the household expenditures of all beneficiaries, provision of audio and video equipment for FDS (the recording could also aid people unable to attend) and conduct of pay-outs near municipal centers so that the beneficiaries could support local products.  REGION IX Some of the problems raised at this forum include a barangay captain that owned three houses but was listed as a beneficiary and was reaping Pantawid Pamilya benefits, farmers that have become dependent on the cash grants and would only harvest half of what they used to, and beneficiaries that loan money prior to pay-out.  But the group also reported that beneficiaries are now taught to budget and plan their family expenses. And it is no longer just the husband performing this role. Women also manage the family's finances. The beneficiaries have also begun to open accounts in their cooperatives.  According to the DepEd, since aptitude test scores have improved due to the rise in attendance rates, the attendance requirement of children beneficiaries should be raised from 85% to 95%.  Beneficiaries are also better informed about disasters as they develop because they now monitor weather warnings via radio, TV, and other available media. They stock up on food and ensure that the cash card, Pantawid Pamilya ID and other important documents are stored safely. A representative from the Armed Forces of the Philippines proposed that preparation for man-made calamities be also considered. This group is proposing to make the FDS attendance mandatory for husbands and fathers, give equal employment opportunities to IP beneficiaries and provide them with skills training, integrate HIV/AIDS in the FDS syllabus, and expand the Care for Non Readers (a program for students who can read but cannot comprehend, already implemented by DepEd in Zamboanga del Sur) at the national level. REGION X The benefits of Listahanan, and some areas for improvement, were highlighted in this workshop. A beneficiary recounted how a staff from DSWD patiently waited for them so that they could be interviewed. A parent leader commended the process of interviewing and enumerating from house to house. The usual grievances, such as inclusion errors, were raised, as well as instances where households without children or parents who are government employees are Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries. There had been a need to clarify the criteria since some people perceived that the nature of their occupation (i.e. market vendor, prostitute) restricted them from being part of the program. Partner NGOs observed that because more women beneficiaries get regular check-ups (including pre-natal check-ups for pregnant women), the health facilities have improved. One beneficiary expressed her profound gratitude when upon presenting her Pantawid Pamilya ID, she was not charged for her hospitalization due to a miscarriage.  A partner from DOH observed that children beneficiaries are more eager to go to school because they are now able to purchase school supplies, uniform, and shoes. As for the FDS, a parent leader said that what began as a mandatory task has evolved into an event that parents actually now look forward to.  Peace building in the community begins at the home of the Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary, according to one parent leader, because parents who attend the FDS are able to pass on the good values and right conduct they have learned to their children. The husbands also now help their wives during pregnancy and the children are able to consume more nutritious food that they have not tried before.  The parent leaders are requesting for an honorarium for services rendered while partner agencies suggested that parent leaders be trained in peer counseling.  REGION XI This region enjoys a good working relationship between LGUs and the provincial Pantawid Pamilya office, which resulted in more beneficiaries participating in community activities and bayanihan (cooperation) programs. The workload of the LGUs has lessened because the beneficiaries show initiative and take on some of the tasks of the barangay.  CSO representatives also go out of their way to help members meet the conditionalities through the FDS. One example is a CSO representative tasked to facilitate an FDS to an audience of predominantly IP beneficiaries. They could neither read nor write, so she edited her syllabus and included a literacy program. For other beneficiaries who were into illegal drugs, she introduced a life recovery program. This flexibility accorded to the FDS yielded a learning process that meets the unique needs of every community, and benefits both the beneficiaries and the implementers.  CSO partners also observed that non-compliance with the conditionalities of the Pantawid Pamilya is a result of problems arising in the household, which could be addressed when both parents are able to regularly attend the FDS. They proposed to work with the National Council for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to develop FDS modules that are more tailor-fit to MCCT-IPs.  Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries proposed to waive processing fees for government documents such as birth certificates and marriage certificates, keep child beneficiaries in the Listahanan until they finish college, and continue access to the Sustainable Livelihood Program after they graduate from the program.  Region XII A strong focus was placed on the impacts of Pantawid Pamilya in peace building given the proximity of the region to conflict affected areas. The discussions were spurred by an actively engaged IPs representation. Some of the issues they raised were the difficult processing of the required papers for potential beneficiaries and the cultural adjustments needed to fully meet the needs of the IPs. According to the beneficiaries, Pantawid Pamilya helped IPs assimilate in their community, as they now assert more confidence when dealing with other people, particularly public officials. The women IPs have taken on more leadership roles in the villages, and more IP children are in school.  The beneficiaries also observed a marked improvement in the peace situation among Muslims and Christians. Presumably, the FDS, which is a Pantawid Pamilya instrument where people of various backgrounds come together, contributed to this. The provincial links, who are familiar with cultural and religious sensitivities, also help bridge communication gaps to keep the peace.  The beneficiaries proposed the addition of a Pantawid Pamilya help desk at every barangay or municipality, to be manned by an IP representative. They also would like to increase further the enrolment into the program of IPs in GIDAs and build in those GIDAs the attendant facilities they would need to comply with the conditionalities such as schools and health centers.  REGION XIII – CARAGA Some key challenges in meeting the education conditionality were raised. These include difficulty in traveling to the school that is located in a nearby island during inclement weather, the inability to fully attend to children with special needs because they go to a normal school, and families being forced to shoulder other school fees (i.e., boy/girl scouts membership) to ensure compliance. Some Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries were singled out and expected to pay for school projects with the assumption that as beneficiaries, they always have money. Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries who attend the FDS share the lessons learned to non-Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries. They said this was instrumental in keeping people away from vices and bad behavior, and in encouraging other members of the community to cooperate and volunteer more. Program implementers mentioned that partner beneficiaries now go directly to the concerned offices (DSWD, DOH, Philhealth, etc.) for their concerns, instead of relying on barangay officials. There was also an increase in the allocation for Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries in the municipal budget. Beneficiaries have good relations with both the military and armed groups. A participant shared that a parent leader was taken by armed rebels but was released immediately after calls to the DSWD were made. The group proposed increasing the number of enumerators to cover more residents in GIDAs, have an IP representative trained in health care by the DOH so the IPs no longer have to travel long distances for their check-ups, increase the financial assistance provided by the Self-Employment Assistance- Kaunlaran (SEA-K) program of the DSWD, passage of the CCT bill, and produce “FDS on Air.”