BALANGA CITY — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Bataan announced Thursday that it had approved on third and final reading last Monday an ordinance prohibiting the pawning of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P) cards in the province.
Vice Gov. Cris Garcia, SP presiding officer, said it has come to their attention the practice of pawning the cards to be able to borrow money.
“The legislation is aimed at stopping the rampant pawning of 4P cards as collateral to get loans by the beneficiaries,” she said, adding that penalties will be imposed to both unscrupulous lenders and the 4P beneficiaries.
The SP committee on social welfare and development, chaired by board member Iya Roque, principally sponsored the resolution with other members of the SP as co-sponsors.
The committee solicited and considered the comments of the provincial social welfare and development office in the passage of the ordinance.
Garcia expressed the hope that the ordinance will finally put a stop to the practice.
