Over P50-B DSWD budget to go to 4Ps program

MANILA, Philippines - More than half of the P108.88-billion budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for 2015 will go to its Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

A total of P64.73 billion was allocated for the implementation of 4Ps for this year to cover 4,436,732 poor households.

The Sustainable Livelihood Program – that will allow 4Ps household beneficiaries to avail themselves of micro-loans under the program’s Self-Employment Assistance Para sa Kaunlaran – was allocated P4.9 billion.

A total of P2.3 billion will be used as assistance to victims of disasters and natural calamities.

The DSWD said its social pension program, which provides P500 in cash assistance to indigent senior citizens, will get P4.7 billion.

“The rest will go to our DSWD’s various social protection programs and projects for the vulnerable sectors of the society such as the poor and those affected by natural and man-made disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes and floods and others,” the DSWD said.