BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The Commission on Population and Development – Cordillera (PopCom-CAR) plans to pilot in Baguio City the Social Protection Program for Adolescent Mothers and their Children (SPPAMC) or the Pagkalinga sa mga Kabataang Magulang (PAGKALINGA Program).
The program aims to contribute to a better and improved quality of life and well being of adolescent mothers and their children especially in poor, marginalized and difficult conditions as they transition to adulthood.
PopCom-CAR Regional Director Cecile Basawil bared that the national pilot test was already conducted using the framework of the Department of Social Welfare and Development on conditional cash transfer program and educational sessions.
“All activities are converged towards decreasing teen pregnancies or no repeat pregnancy for adolescents for us to be able really to get ‘yung demographic dividend by investing on our adolescents to make the proper decisions not to engage in early sexual activities and other risky behaviors,” said Basawil.
The target beneficiaries are mothers aged 18 and below who are currently pregnant or with living child/children, belonging to households with monthly income below the regional poverty threshold, and willing to comply with the conditions set.
Also, adolescent mothers who belong to the Pantawid Program are eligible as beneficiaries of the SPPAMC provided that those listed in the Listahanan are not current beneficiaries of Pantawid programs.
Under the Conditional Financial Assistance of the program, conditional financial assistance amounting to P500 monthly will be implemented on a pilot basis. The grant of assistance is conditioned on compliance with certain requirements.
Financial/livelihood assistance amounting to P10,000 to P15,000, and educational assistance amounting to P10,000 can also be availed subject to some conditions. **JDP/DEG-PIA CAR
