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4Ps program aids family-beneficiaries to be self-sufficient

By Christine Cudis

February 28, 2022, 8:47 pm

MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported that the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) consistently helps beneficiaries become self-sufficient and eventually be delisted from the poverty alleviation program.

Data showed that in 2019, some 300,000 4Ps households were identified as self-sufficient, a little less than the 387,577 delisted in 2018.

Currently, the program supports more than 800,000 families, classified as poor and near-poor based on the Standardized Targeting System and the poverty threshold issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Since its inception in 2008, the program has already served 5,220,953 poor households nationwide.

As of Dec. 31, 2021, the 4Ps has 4,091,590 households under its wings.

To be considered self-sufficient, the family-beneficiary should have enough income at the time of the children’s graduation, be able to cope with daily needs, and has achieved the first two levels of Social Worker Development Indicators, Survival and Subsistence levels.

Aside from seminars and livelihood trainings, the program provides financial assistance for health and nutrition and the educational needs of a maximum of three children not exceeding 18 years old.

According to the guidelines, the DSWD still monitors the households even after graduating from the program through their local government units and for possible provision of other appropriate assistance to enable them to sustain or improve their economic status.

"DSWD, under the leadership of Secretary Rolando Bautista, revived its Performance Governance Scorecard (PGS) journey as a means to improve its systems and processes to ensure quality service. PGS is a holistic and collaborative framework for designing, executing, monitoring, and sustaining roadmaps to reforms," DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao told the Philippine News Agency via text message on Monday.

Using the PGS, the DSWD translated its vision and governance statements into concrete and quantifiable outcomes and aligned its operational activities with larger-scale and longer-term objectives, she added.

"A Strategy Map was developed to provide the strategic focus to deliver DSWD’s mission by facilitating coordinated efforts and convergence of different partners and stakeholders. It intends to mobilize and steer social protection and social services to address poverty reduction," Dumlao said.

On April 17, 2019, 4Ps became a regular program of the national government through the passage of Republic Act 11310 or An Act Institutionalizing the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Act.

Under the law, the conditional cash transfer grant per child enrolled in daycare and elementary programs shall not be lower than PHP300 per month, PHP500 per child in junior high school, and PHP700 per child in senior high school for a maximum of 10 months per year; while the health and nutrition grant shall not be lower than PHP750 per month.

The cash grants are distributed through authorized government depository banks, rural banks, thrift banks, cooperative banks, and institutions engaged in money remittances duly accredited by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The DSWD was presented with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2015 Certification and the Silver Trailblazer Award for its Quality Management System during its 71st year founding anniversary celebration on Monday.

The DSWD cited the PGS, Multisector Governance Council, and the Institute for Solidarity in Asia in increasing the number of self-sufficient 4Ps households.

The agency's centers and residential care facilities with Center of Excellence Status also increased from 14 to 30. (PNA)

 

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