Minister of Social Affairs Graduated 5,066 KPM PKH Sejahtera in North Sulawesi

MINAHASA UTARA, NORTH SULAWESI (November 19, 2019) - The Minister of Social Affairs, Juliari P. Batubara paid a visit to North Minahasa Regency, North Sulawesi Province in the context of Graduation for Beneficiary Families (KPM) of the Family Hope Program (PKH) who are prosperous and have left PKH, Tuesday (19/11) afternoon.

From January 2019 to October 2019, KPM PKH in North Sulawesi Province, which had graduated 4,633 KPM and independently graduated 433 KPM, so that a total of 5,066 KPM or 5.48% of the total PKH participants in 2019 successfully graduated.

The PKH Independent Graduation and Family Gathering event was attended by no less than 5,000 KPM from 10 Districts in North Minahasa Regency, as well as 46 PKH Facilitators from North Minahasa Regency.

Symbolically, Minister of Social Affairs Ari, his nickname, handed over certificates to ten KPM PKH independent graduations and handed over savings to three PKH children who excel in education and sports, one million rupiah each.

Ari started his visit by seeing the booths selling KPM PKH products and taking the time to shop for various food products, then continued by greeting the participants from all sides.

In his remarks, Ari said that various programs, especially at the Ministry of Social Affairs, were focused on being able to improve and develop beneficiaries to become prosperous independently.

"The task of the Ministry of Social Affairs is not only to carry out social assistance programs (bansos), but also to ensure that the longer the social assistance recipients decrease. Because the fewer social assistance programs and recipients, the Ministry of Social Affairs' performance is considered successful," said Ari.

In accordance with the dream of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, in 2045, when Indonesia is 100 years independent, Indonesia is declared to have entered into a high-income country with a prosperous people condition.

"So, we have to work hard. This is not only the duty of the central and regional governments, but it is our duty to work for the welfare and prosperity of the people," said Ari.

Not to forget, Ari gave high appreciation for the performance and enthusiasm of the assistants who did not know the terrain at work.

"I really appreciate the hard work of the assistants, I even heard that some of them assist KPM across the ocean. This is extraordinary," said Ari.

PKH in North Sulawesi Province has been implemented since 2007, covering five districts (Manado City, Bitung City, Minahasa, South Minahasa and Bolang Mongondow), and has continued to expand to several other areas from year to year.During his visit, Ari was immersed in joy with thousands of KPM PKH mothers entering a session of giving gifts in the form of e-money, iron, rice cooker, dispenser, to gas stove each to ten KPM randomly, after they answered Ari's questions.

Ari's light questions produced answers that were able to break laughter among the participants. In addition, Ari did not hesitate to invite the participants to have fun together by doing the poco-poco gymnastics which was followed by the simultaneous movement of KPM PKH.

Ari's visit received a warm welcome accompanied by the applause and cheers of the thousands of participants who attended, so that the event was full of intimacy despite the hot Minahasa weather.

The event was also attended by the Governor of North Sulawesi, Olly Dondokambey, Deputy Governor of North Sulawesi, Steven OE Kandouw, Eschelon I Officials in the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs, Regional Secretary of North Sulawesi Province, Edwin Silangen, Regent of North Minahasa, Vonny Anneke Panambunan, Deputy Regent North Minahasa, Joppi Lengkong, along with his staff, Chairman of the North Sulawesi Provincial DPRD, Andrei Angow, Senior Vice President of Bank Mandiri, Nila Mayta D. Rihandjani, Head of North Sulawesi Province Social Service, Rinny Tamuntuan, Head of North Minahasa District Social Service, Bobby Najoan, and the Forkompinda ranks of North Sulawesi Province, as well as the Food Social Assistance Facilitators, TKSK, and PKH Facilitators.

Meanwhile, the Governor of North Sulawesi, Olly Dondokambey, said that North Sulawesi Province is one of the provinces in Indonesia with the lowest poverty rate.

"The poverty rate in North Sulawesi in March 2019 was 7.66%, the lowest in Sulawesi, even lower than the national poverty rate of 9.41%," Olly explained.

Bank Himbara Support

The success of distributing PKH assistance cannot be separated from the role of the State Bank Association (Himbara). For the North Minahasa area, the Ministry of Social Affairs appointed Bank Mandiri as a channeling bank.

In 2019, Bank Mandiri has distributed PKH assistance to 1,581,550 KPM valued at IDR 5.5 trillion throughout Indonesia and BPNT assistance to 2,363,696 KPM worth more than IDR 1.3 trillion throughout Indonesia.

Particularly in North Sulawesi, PKH and BPNT social assistance which have been distributed is worth Rp. 113.3 billion. Specifically for PKH stage IV and BPNT phase X for North Minahasa Regency, it is worth IDR 14.1 billion and the realization of PKH stage IV distribution is 98% and BPNT stage X is 69% because it is in the stage of disbursing food aid.

According to Bank Mandiri Senior Vice President, Nila Mayta D. Rihandjani, this form of realization of Bank Mandiri's support for this government assistance program is by always providing the best service and providing social assistance agents to facilitate KPM transactions.

"We remain fully committed to the success of this social assistance program, by continuing to strive to distribute aid to all areas of Bank Mandiri social assistance distribution," said Nila while accompanying the Minister of Social Affairs on her visit to the District of North Minahasa, Prov. North Sulawesi, Tuesday (19/11).

As a form of Bank Mandiri's commitment to jointly develop the country, Bank Mandiri has acquired and recruited 16,536 social assistance agents who can serve various needs as of 31 October 2019.

To note, the total number of agents in North Sulawesi for BPNT is 525 agents and PKH is 64 agents. For the District of North Minahasa, the total number of social assistance distribution agents is 179 agents.

In addition, Nila revealed, one of the contributions from Bank Mandiri in accordance with the program from the Ministry of Social Affairs is KPM independent graduation where the KPM does not receive PKH assistance anymore because it is economically capable and has a business.

Bank Mandiri has offered a People's Business Credit (KUR) program for independent KPM graduations so that they can continue to develop their business. Bank Mandiri hopes that there will be many independent KPM graduations that can be given KUR and continue to develop their businesses to improve their standard of living.

As of October 2019, there are 66 independent KPM graduations who have the potential to get KUR loans from Bank Mandiri or become Bank Mandiri agents.