CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – The government’s anti-poverty alleviation program being implemented by the Region-10 office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-10) is targeting some 27 municipalities in Northern Mindanao.

The Sets 1 and 2 of the “Pantawid Pamilya” is also targeting at least 63,998 household beneficiaries in the various municipalities in Northern Mindanao.

In a DSWD data, 15 towns in Lanao del Norte benefited from the program, likewise nine in Misamis Occidental, two in Misamis Oriental, and one in Bukidnon.

To ensure efficient and effective implementation and monitoring of the program this year, the Regional Development Council 10 (RDC-10) has enjoined the support of the various government agencies, non-government/public organizations (NGO/POs), civil society, and local government units (LGUs).

Meanwhile, the “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program” or 4Ps, the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS), and Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K) are closely monitored by the convergence program of the DSWD, which is part of the three components of the government’s anti-poverty alleviation program.

The DSWD has developed a convergence framework that aims to maximize the impact of poverty reduction program through an effective targeting system and a holistic community development approach.

In the DSWD’s “Tatsulo” or the “Tatlong Sulo” (3 torches) program, the convergence thoroughly focuses this year on the three components – the “Pantawid,” Kalahi-CIDSS, and SEA-K.

The first component of the “Tatsulo” aims to secure the chronic poor by providing assistance in education and health services through the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program, known as the 4Ps.

The second component, the Kalahi-CIDSS, seeks to improve the financial access of the transitional poor through direct support to community for local development by adopting the community-driven development approach.

The Kalahi-CIDSS program provides technical assistance to communities for the construction of social infrastructure projects, such as, potable water systems, footpaths, bridges, roads, health facilities, day-care centers, and classrooms.

While the third component, SEA-K, supports the economically active poor by providing technical assistance and non-collateral, non-interest loans to the entrepreneurial poor.