DBM OKs 4,265 contractual DSWD positions to ease poverty

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management has approved over 4,000 contractual positions to support the government’s poverty reduction drive.

In a statement, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said she has approved the creation of 4,265 positions for various field offices of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The move aims to support the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps, the national poverty reduction strategy of the government.

The contractual positions of project development officer II were created to augment the existing staff of the DSWD and allow employees to manage their workload better. The DSWD aims for a caseload of one case manager for every 300 households.

Case managers play an important role in the successful implementation of 4Ps at the grassroots level since they directly interact with beneficiaries, a core function of DSWD in executing the program.?Funds for the creation of the contractual positions will be charged against the available allotment of the DSWD. In case of deficiency, the funding requirement will be sourced from the available appropriations in the 2024 national budget.

Pangandaman said supporting 4Ps is crucial in inclusive development, empowering families and breaking the cycle of poverty in the Philippines.

“With this move, we are also generating employment opportunities, which in some ways help stabilize our economy,” Pangandaman said.

Data showed that the implementation of the 4Ps has covered a total of 3.98 million household beneficiaries across 41,676 barangays in the country. This is roughly 90 percent of the 4.4 million target households of the DSWD.