Jennifer Buscato, a mother of four from Dumaguete, used her recent cash grant to buy milk, diapers, and vitamins for her eight-month-old baby.
“I am so grateful that I received a cash assistance,” she said.
Buscato is one of 1,038 households in Negros Oriental to receive the First 1,000 Days of Life (F1KD) cash grant under the Department of Social Welfare & Development’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
The F1KD program provides 4Ps households with pregnant women or children ages 0-2 with an additional P350 per month, on top of their health grants, to ensure they access health services and address their children’s needs during the critical first 1,000 days of life.
Buscato received P700, covering January and February.
The program aims to support pregnant and lactating women, encouraging them to seek health services to prevent issues like inadequate prenatal care and nutritional deficiencies, which can lead to stunted growth and developmental delays.
In the pilot payout for January and February, 3,987 households in Cebu and 1,790 in Bohol also received the cash grant.
In Siquijor, 91 households benefited from it.
“For the first two months, 4Ps waived the conditions under F1KD,” said DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero. “In the succeeding months, our 4Ps city and municipal links will strictly monitor its compliance in coordination with local health personnel.”
Compliance for pregnant women in the 4Ps program includes accessing prenatal services at Department of Health-accredited facilities, tracking pregnancy, receiving antenatal care, delivering at accredited facilities, attending postnatal visits, participating in counseling sessions, and obtaining micronutrient supplements and immunizations.
The DSWD encourages active 4Ps beneficiaries with pregnant members or children 24 months and younger to update their household profiles by visiting their 4Ps City and Municipal Links or using the i-Registro digital platform.
The F1KD strategy’s official launch follows reforms discussed during a February 2024 sectoral meeting with President Marcos Jr. (JCT/PIA7 NegOr)
