Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) can now join the Social Security System (SSS), which signed an MOA with the DSWD on Monday to make them “future-proof” once they graduate from the government’s conditional cash transfer program.
MANILA, Philippines — Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) can now join the Social Security System (SSS), which signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday to make them “future-proof” once they graduate from the government’s conditional cash transfer program.
Under the agreement signed by Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian and SSS president and chief executive officer Rolando Macasaet, 4Ps beneficiaries would be provided with “low-cost insurance” should they decide to become SSS members.
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Under the “4Ps AlkanSSSya Program,” the two agencies will create a contribution subsidy table that will be specific for 4Ps beneficiaries, basing it on an actuarial study and the actual capacity of the beneficiaries to pay a minimum monthly contribution of P570.
Macasaet, however, clarified that they could decide to increase their contributions. The monthly contributions, he said, would allow them to become SSS pensioners in the future.
The 4Ps AlkanSSSya program aims to provide a “safety net” for beneficiaries and allow them to be “self-reliant” once they leave the conditional cash transfer program.
“[We have to] make them understand the value of insurance [and] pensions; make them understand that this opportunity is being afforded by the SSS and only for them, this special table of contributions,” Gatchalian told reporters at a news conference after the signing.
Voluntary participation
He added that joining the program was voluntary, although he acknowledged that they may find it hard to convince them to do so.
“It’s not going to be easy, but rather than not doing anything, we’ll keep on pushing it. To the same degree, many of what was being taught in our family development sessions are long-term culture changing programs,” Gatchalian said.
“In the seven years they have been in the program, I believe that [after] mentioning to them the values [multiple times], they’ll understand. But it all boils down to how the program will be attractive to them, how realistic it is,” he added.
Under the agreement, the SSS will facilitate the registration and orientation of the beneficiaries through regular family development sessions and during their exit programs.
According to the DSWD, around 4.3 million household beneficiaries nationwide were receiving conditional cash grants under the 4Ps program as of May 31.