To show to a wider audience the positive changes brought about by Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program on the lives of the 4.4 million family-beneficiaries, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the World Bank (WB) Group will launch a photography exhibit and documentary film called “Malaya Kang Mangarap” (Dreaming is Free), on June 15, 2016, 3:00 PM, at the Ground Floor of Ayala Museum, Greenbelt Park, Makati City.

The event will feature the testimonials of selected Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries as well as showcase photographs that reflect the impact of the program.

“This launching of the photography exhibit and documentary film on the gains of Pantawid Pamilya comes at an opportune time as our country has reached another crossroad.  It is therefore vital that these gains be sustained. By allowing our beneficiaries to demonstrate the changes in their lives through their meaningful pictures  and  to speak out their thoughts through their testimonies  is tantamount to providing them the opportunity to continue dreaming,” DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said.

The Aquino administration pushed for the expansion of Pantawid Pamilya. From 800,000 family-beneficiaries back in 2010, the program now has 4.4 million beneficiaries.

The current Department leadership likewise extended the of age of qualified children-beneficiaries from 14 years old to 18 to enable them to have a fighting chance of getting employed and reduce the intergenerational cycle of poverty in their families.

It also strengthened the conduct of Family Development Sessions (FDS) as one of the program conditionalities which has led to better family  and community relationships among beneficiaries.

The launching will also be attended by WB Country Director Mara Warwick and Paco Guererro. Paco took the photographs of the beneficiaries and directed the documentaries.

The exhibit will run until June 17, and is open to the public from 9 am to 6 pm. ###