The first Information Caravan on the Department’s Convergence Strategy Program in Llorente, Eastern Samar was truly a convergence of efforts as the whole – day event was a reflection of various entities working closely together to make it a success.

It was a well – attended activity, with Mayors of the different municipalities of Eastern Samar province coming over to witness how two of the DSWD’s core protection programs have touched the lives of beneficiaries, from the point of view of the recipients themselves and local workers. A teacher, health worker, day care worker, barangay official, mother, and a parent – leader voiced out how the PANTAWID PAMILYANG PILIPINO PROGRAM (PANTAWID PAMILYA) and the SELF-EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE – KAUNLARAN (SEA-K) PROGRAM have made a difference, positively or for the better.

The municipality of Llorent under Mayor Tito Codoy has been implementing the said programs for quite sometime, while the KAPIT-BISIG LABAN SA KAHIRAPAN: COMPREHENSIVE AND INTEGRATED DELIVERY OF SOCIAL SERVICES : KAPANGYARIHAN AT KAUNLARAN SA BARANGAY (KALAHI-CIDSS : KKB) will be put into operation next year.

Edilberto Grata, representative of Congressman Ben Evardone, was convinced of the beauty of the programs. He said the results/evidences are clear that the conditional cash transfer scheme via the PANTAWID PAMILYA, especially, has brought encouraging benefits.

Undersecretary for General Administration and Support Services, Mateo Montaño, on the other hand emphasized in his speech of giving value to the conditionalities set in the PANTAWID PAMILYA PROGRAM as no more than an investment on their personal beings.