Biometrics for 4Ps
beneficiaries to pilot in Leyte town
By Provincial Media
Relations Center
August 10, 2012
TACLOBAN CITY –
Leyte province, through its Income Creating Opportunities thru
Technology Project – Information Technology (ICOT-P IT), recently
developed a system that would use biometrics for beneficiaries of the
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
The new biometrics system,
which underwent a ‘mock test’ together with the Department of Social
Welfare and Development in the region, is set to be launched in Matag-ob,
Leyte later this August.
The system, according to
Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla, who personally supervised the mock
test that imitated various scenarios during actual transaction, was
developed by ICOT-P IT students trained by the provincial government.
The governor disclosed that
should the system prove successful after pilot launching in Matag-ob,
the same system will be used in the Autonomous Region of Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM) where there are thousands of 4Ps beneficiaries
targeted for the program.
One of the main reasons in
coming with such measures is to eliminate fraud in the implementation
of the project.
Meanwhile it was learned
from DSWD-8 Regional Director Letecia Diokno that this system is beig
introduced to improve the modes of releasing the cash aid and the
recording of data of the project’s beneficiaries.
With the biometrics system,
Dir. Diokno said that instead of the traditional Automated Teller
Machine (ATM) cards that they are distributing to beneficiaries, the
latter will be required to claim or withdraw the cash aid personally.
This as the DSWD has
received reports that some of the project beneficiaries were making
the ATM cards as collateral in some loan sharks. This new system is
seen to avoid this arrangement made by the beneficiaries.
Also the DSWD earlier said
that the government will save a lot of money with the technological
advances since the government will no longer have to pay banks for the
distribution of the cash aid.