The Bawal Ang Epal Dito (BAED) campaign has been launched once again to ensure that the integrity of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and the rights of its beneficiaries are safeguarded especially in the advent of the 2013 barangay elections. The said campaign intensively educates the public, especially the beneficiaries, of the correct program selection and delisting process such that a beneficiary can only be removed from the program if he or she does not comply with the conditionalities or commits fraud.

DSWD Regional Director Remia Tapispisan said that this time BAED campaign highlights the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) which has been signed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). The JMC contains the agreed upon guidelines, sanctions, and strengthened referral system relative to election-related grievances involving Pantawid Pamilya. Furthermore, it has strengthened the partnership between the three agencies in advocating the program; in intensifying the BAED campaign; and in monitoring, reporting, and processing of said grievances.

BAED aims to disassociate the Pantawid Pamilya and its beneficiaries from the political arena. However, it does not intend to stop the program beneficiaries from participating in any political activity since it is their right to do so as citizens of this country, so long as they do it to practice their individual right to suffrage. BAED campaign entails that nobody should use Pantawid Pamilya for own personal or political interest.

In addition, for concern such as whether beneficiaries can or cannot run for a certain post, certainly they can. Should there be a grievance filed against a beneficiary who wins the election, the Grievance Redress System (GRS) of Pantawid Pamilya shall conduct a validation adopting the inclusion error procedure based on the GRS criteria for delisting to determine whether or not they will remain as program beneficiaries.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is one of the government’s poverty alleviation strategy which invests on human capital, particularly on the health and education of children aged 0-14 years old, through a conditional cash transfer scheme.

 Let’s all ensure that the rights of our children are safeguarded. Bawal ang EPAL.