4Ps beneficiaries to get additional subsidies

CEBU, Philippines — Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is gearing up to strengthen its Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) with the implementation of the 4Ps Act.

DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista said Republic Act no. 11310 or an Act Institutionalizing the 4Ps has increased the benefits of the beneficiaries.

This year, the 4Ps program has an allocation of P108 billion for the 4.1 million household beneficiaries. Central Visayas has less than 300,000 household beneficiaries.

A pantawid member will now receive P750, instead of receiving only P700 every month for the healthcare cash grant.

Each child who is studying will also receive P700 as a monthly educational grant for senior high school, P500 for high school students and P300 for kindergarten and elementary pupils.

Also, each member will also continue receiving a P600 rice subsidy per month and P300 monthly assistance to ease the effect of the train law.

Bautista, who graced the agency’s 69th anniversary celebration in Cebu City yesterday, said DSWD will be listing more 300,000 4Ps beneficiaries for this year to comply with the mandate of the said law.

“Now, we are concentrating on the implementation of 4Ps Act. Under the law, 4.4 million household ang dapat na beneficiaries,” said Bautista.

Since the 4Ps was implemented in 2008, Bautista said, at least 400,000 household families have already graduated as 4Ps beneficiaries.

“Yung aim namin is yung nag graduate na, hindi na yun babalik as poorest among the poor,” the secretary said.

The 4Ps beneficiaries will only be enrolled in the program for a maximum of seven years.

Before the law was passed, a Pantawid member can remain in the program until they will no longer be considered as poor.

But Bautista said those who graduated from the program can still avail of the Sustainable Livelihood Program of DSWD.

“Pero hindi ibig sabihin na graduate ka na sa 4Ps pabayaan ka na nang gobyerno. May sasalo sa iyo katulad ng Sustainable Livelihood Program of DSWD,” the secretary said.

The 4Ps Act was signed into law last year, institutionalizing the government’s strategy of eradicating poverty by giving financial assistance to the poor Filipino families to enhance their health, educational and nutritional status.

In a previous statement, DSWD said 4Ps uses the conditional cash transfer scheme to provide cash grants to the beneficiaries.  KQD (FREEMAN)