ILOILO – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the KALAHI-CIDSS Regional Program Management Office has secured P5.1 million in funding to implement the Cash-for-Work Program for Persons with Disabilities (CFW-PWD) across four municipalities in Western Visayas.
A total of P5,130,000 will be allocated to benefit around 1,000 PWDs in the towns of Madalag and New Washington in Aklan, Bingawan in Iloilo, and Sibunag in Guimaras.
The program also earmarks 116 slots specifically for individuals with permanent total disabilities (PTDs), a number that may still increase depending on the results of local validation by the municipal social welfare and development offices.
This year’s CFW-PWD program features an innovative component called ‘TheraFee’, which was launched last week in the pilot areas and was spearheaded by KALAHI-CIDSS National Program Manager Atty. Bernadette A. Mapue-Joaquin and DSWD Region 6 director Arwin O. Razo.
TheraFee introduces a new approach by recognizing and compensating family caregivers of PWDs-PTDs. Under this initiative, caregivers are paid for up to 10 days of caregiving work at P513 per day, working eight hours daily. Each eligible household may only have one caregiver-beneficiary.
Unlike traditional cash-for-work activities, TheraFee does not require caregivers to leave their homes or engage in community work. Instead, they continue providing essential daily care to their family members with PTDs.
As part of the monitoring process, caregivers are required to document their caregiving duties through daily photographs while ensuring the dignity and privacy of PTDs, especially children, are protected.
TheraFee aims to underscore the often-overlooked role of caregiving by monetizing the unpaid care work typically done by family members, thus providing both financial relief and formal recognition of their contribution.
The program marks a significant step in promoting inclusive social protection and enhancing the support system for PWDs and their families in rural communities./PN
