DSWD reviews 4Ps beneficiary list

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is still reviewing the list of 1.3 million beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) who may be removed from the program.

In an interview with Dobol B TV, DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo said they are still waiting for the final list of 4Ps beneficiaries who may have violated conditions set for the granting of the cash aid. The list will come from DSWD’s links in municipalities and cities nationwide.

“We have an ongoing review on the 1.3 million beneficiaries that we have earlier announced to be delisted. We did not push through with the delisting of the 1.3 million and we actually asked the assistance of our municipal link, officials and officers of the municipalities,” Tulfo said.

“We also asked the help of the Samahan ng mga 4Ps beneficiaries. Their list is nationwide. We want to make sure that those who will be delisted are the ones who are not qualified,” Tulfo said.

He said that during a meeting with some lawmakers and with the Samahan ng mga 4Ps beneficiaries, he was told that 30 percent to 40 percent of the 1.3 million suspected non-qualified 4Ps beneficiaries may be retained.

“They told me maybe not 1.3 (million), but maybe 30 to 40 percent can be retained. We cannot automatically remove the 1.3 million. So, I asked them to give us a list of the 4Ps beneficiaries so that we can compare that to our lists. That is what we are waiting for, that is why the delisting has been delayed,” Tulfo added.

He revealed that the first batch of 187 4Ps beneficiaries delisted earlier by the DSWD had actually volunteered to be removed from the program since they were already “graduates” of the program.

Under the 4Ps program, head of families or couples with a combined income of less than P12,000 are qualified to avail of cash assistance under 4Ps.

“Once you graduate from the 4Ps, the DSWD will give you two months, meaning you will still receive conditional cash assistance under the 4Ps in the next two months from the day that you graduated from the 4Ps,” he said.