MANILA, Philippines — The government is considering increasing the number of beneficiaries under the conditional cash transfer or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia has said.
“The NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) continues to monitor social protection initiatives like increasing 4Ps beneficiaries, establishing a social protection floor and renewing youth involvement in nation-building,” Pernia said.
The 4Ps provides cash grants to beneficiaries provided they send their children to school, bring them to health centers for checkups and attend monthly family development sessions.
Records showed that as of December 2016, there were a total of 4,387,689 recipient households across the country.
The state-run Philippine Institute for Development Studies is proposing improving the targeting system of 4Ps to maximize its anti-poverty function and improve benefits for its recipients.
Pernia said NEDA is also moving toward realizing the government’s cultural development agenda under the Philippine Development Plan for 2017 to 2022.