House OKs bills institutionalizing 4Ps

MANILA, Philippines - The House Committee on Poverty Alleviation approved the consolidated bills institutionalizing the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the government.

Tarlac Rep. Susan Yap authored House Bill (HB) 154 or "An act institutionalizing the Conditional Cash Transfer program of the government to reduce poverty and promote human capital development and providing funds therefor."

HB 154 or the "Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Act "seeks to provide assistance to the poor, break the intergenerational cycle of poverty, promote gender equality, achieve universal primary education, reduce child mortality and improve maternal health, which are also the part of the government's Millennium Development Goals.”

"Given the success of this Program to reach out to the poor, there is a need to ensure sustainability through an enacted policy," the Tarlac lawmaker said.

Yap noted that a total of 3,967,517 households from 143 cities, 1,484 municipalities in 79 provinces have benefited from the 4Ps Program since its implementation in March 2013. 

A total of P6,908,317,600 cash grant were awarded to eligible beneficiary households where P3,729,952,600 was allotted for education and P3,178,365,000 for health.

"Sectors have in the past criticized the program for being a dole-out that encourages mendicancy among the poor. Thus, the Committee approved a version which expanded the conditions that must be complied with before cash grants are given to beneficiaries," the statement from the House of Representatives said.

Under the bill, qualified household beneficiaries will receive conditional cash transfer of P500 per month for health and nutrition expenses, P300 per month per child for educational expenses, and a supplementary education grant of P300 for each child who maintains passing grades in all subjects after the first year of implementation of the program. A maximum of three children will be allowed for each qualified household beneficiary.

The bill will limit the time span of beneficiaries to avail the assistance to seven years and provides programs that would ensure that said beneficiaries will remain non-poor after the time limit.

According to a study conducted by Dr. Celia Reyes of the House Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department, school attendance rates of children six to 11 years old from 4Ps families were higher compared to children from non-4Ps families. This marks the positive impact of the program to school participation of children at the primary level.

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