Aurora, among the seven provinces of Region III had the highest compliance rates with regards to health (i.e. 98.99% for Period 6 [December 2015-January 2016]), education (i.e. 96.27% for P6), and even Family Development Session (FDS) (i.e. 96.63).

The high compliance rates were not only because of the commitment of the partner beneficiaries but also because of the commitment given by the partner agencies of DSWD, emphasized Ms. Celine Tongson, Regional Compliance Verification Officer (RCVO), during the Municipal Action Team (MAT) Re-Orientation with partner staff from Department of Education (DepED) and Department of Health (DOH) last March 18, 2016 at the Municipal Hall of Baler, Aurora.

The event was spearheaded by DSWD Pantawid Regional Program Management (RPMO) staff and was attended both by elementary and high school teachers and principals, district supervisors, health workers, and Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers (MSWDOs).
The participants were re-oriented on the five fundamental systems of Pantawid, namely, Beneficiary Update System (BUS), Compliance Verification System (CVS), Grievance Redress System (GRS), Supply Side Assessment (SSA), and Payment System.

BUS collects, validates, reports, and lists changes among the beneficiaries of the program. On the other hand, CVS monitors the attendance and compliance of the beneficiaries and his/her children in school, health measures, and in FDS. While, GRS is concern with any condition, circumstance, or expression of dissatisfaction seriously affecting an individual or group of people related to the program. SSA assesses the present condition of the health and education system in city/municipality or barangay levels; it also defines the gaps and needs, and their corresponding solution and recommendation. And, Payment System depends on the CVS; it identifies the beneficiaries entitled to receive grants—payment reconciliation versus compliance.

Another highlight of the activity was the introduction of BUS form or also known as Form 6. It was created for the updating purposes; an official attachment to the CV Form 2 (education form) and CVF 3 (health form). Ms. Tongson also tackled the decentralization of Compliance Verification (CV) monitoring process which targets to the grants to the entitled beneficiaries of Pantawid in approximately 15 days from collection to payout as compare to the approximately 35-day process now.
Before the actual payout, there are still five processes that needs be done, after the end of monitoring period, namely: CV generation (currently: ˜five days, target: ˜three days); collection and submission of forms (currently: ˜8 days, target: 4 days); encoding of data (currently: ˜five days, target: ˜four days); recommendation, approval, Notice of Approval Payroll Adjustment (NAPA), and payroll computation (currently: ˜6.5 days, target: three days); and payroll generation and approval (currently: ˜nine days, target: 4 days).
“Natutuwa ako at natulungan kami ng programang ito. May mga teachers na umiikot sa bawat silid aralan. Masaya akong kahit papano ay tumaas ng kaunti ang aming compliance rates. And the same time na-challenge akong mas i-improve pa ito (I am glad that this program had helped us. There are teachers roaming around in every class rooms. I am happy that at least our compliance rates rose even little. And at the same time, I am challenged to improve it),” said Ms. Marietta Alviar, PSDS of Baler.
The municipality of Baler had 96.3% compliance rate in education as compare to the 98.53% compliance rate of the municipality of Dinalungan, based from the P6 bi-monthly result and trend.

Then later, before the awarding of certificates of recognition, there was an orientation on Youth Development Session (YDS). YDS is a monthly session that aims to cater both the educational and social needs of the adolescent beneficiaries of Pantawid. It aims to bring out their potential skills that will lead to better employment, thus, securing the future of the youth.
The idea was welcomed by all the participants. They even suggested that there should be an integrated Parent-Child Participatory Sessions which was later revealed as one of the best practice of the Municipality of Dilasag, as part of their FDS.
“Nakikita ko na sa mga susunod na panahon, sa tulong ng YDS ay mas magiging responsible pa sa kanilang mga sarili at sa ibang pang areas ng buhay ang g aming mga kabataan (I can now see that sooner or later, with the help of YDS our youth will further be responsible with regards to dealing with themselves and to other areas in life),” said Ms. April Charm Isip, a Guidance Councilor in Aurora who was one of the trained Resource Persons during the pilot test of YDS last 2015.### ((Andyleen C. Feje)