P’que street families get ECCT benefits

Hopefully this gets their children off the streets. – Ed.

The Dept. of Social Welfare & Development-National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR), in coordination with the Parañaque City Government recently awarded cash grants to 42 street families through its the Expanded Conditional Cash Transfer Program (ECCT)  on September 22 and September 24, 2012.

The ECCT program is aimed at getting “kariton families” and other homeless persons out of the streets where they are prone to crime, abuse, indignation, exploitation, accidents and diseases. With said help from the government, they can start a livelihood activity with which to sustain their needs.  Coordinating with the DSWD-NCR is the Parañaque DSWD headed by MR. Dean Calleja.

To qualify for the ECCT program, families must be homeless and have no proper source of livelihood.  Other terms include the enrollment of their children in Alternative Learning System (ALS) and keeping them attending classes until they finish the curriculum. Beneficiary street families must also attend values formation sessions organized by the DSWD.

Beneficiary families will receive P500.00 cash grants monthly. Those with children whose ages are between 0 – 14 get an additional P300.00/child.

“We are grateful to the DSWD-NCR for their ongoing efforts in helping marginalized families improve their lives. We will continue to support its programs from which many Parañaqueños, like citizens of other cities and municipalities nationwide benefitted.”,  Mayor Jun Bernabe said.