Newly established 4Ps cities and municipalities formally pledge to DSWD Region 7

New City and Municipal Links to Enhance Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in Central Visayas

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 7 - Central Visayas has recently welcomed 244 new City and Municipal Links (C/MLs) to its team. These C/MLs will play a crucial role in the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) at the local level in cities and municipalities across Bohol and Cebu.

The C/MLs serve as case managers for 4Ps household beneficiaries, managing a reduced caseload of around 212 to 292 households per case manager. This allows for more personalized attention and support, ensuring that each family receives the focused care they need.

Their primary responsibility is to manage caseloads, conduct regular monitoring, and facilitate Family Development Sessions (FDS). These sessions promote positive family values, parental roles, and responsibilities crucial for child development and family welfare.

In addition to their case management duties, C/MLs also conduct home visits to strengthen engagement with families and assess their ongoing needs and compliance with program conditions. They track beneficiaries' progress towards self-reliance, identifying gaps or issues, and advocating for the provision of complementary services in coordination with other agencies or stakeholders.

Moreover, C/MLs are responsible for handling complaints and referrals, ensuring beneficiary compliance with health and education conditionalities, and assisting households as they enter and eventually exit the program after the standard residency period.

Director Shalaine Marie S. Lucero addressed the new employees during an Oath-Taking Ceremony on August 4, 2025, emphasizing their role as frontline representatives of the department. She expects the new employees to uphold service excellence and integrity in every aspect of their work, as they work towards the DSWD 7's mission to improve the lives of vulnerable families and communities, with the message "every life matters."

The hiring of the C/MLs is a response to the increasing need for the program, especially as more 4Ps households are transitioning and requiring more intensive case management. The DSWD Field Office 7 is focusing on improving the quality of service, with the deployment of more field staff to ensure more responsive, timely, and targeted interventions.

The C/MLs' roles and responsibilities underscore their critical function as the frontline workforce in delivering and sustaining the 4Ps’ social protection goals at the local government unit level in Central Visayas and across other regions. They are expected to coordinate with Local Government Units and partner institutions for service convergence, ensuring that program partners receive timely interventions, verify that families meet program conditions, and assist them in improving their well-being.

References:

DSWD Field Office 7
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program
DSWD Factsheet: City and Municipal Links (C/MLs)
DSWD Factsheet: Home Visits
DSWD Factsheet: Family Development Sessions

Newly established 4Ps cities and municipalities formally pledge to DSWD Region 7