In the Know: Conditional cash transfer scheme

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), which was started in 2008 by the Arroyo administration, is a conditional cash transfer (CCT) scheme that provides money to the country’s poorest of the poor.

The program provides its beneficiaries monthly cash grants of up to P1,200.

The money is provided as long as the beneficiaries comply with certain conditions, such as regular visits to health centers of children 14 years old and below and the maintenance of a class attendance rate of at least 85 percent a month for those who are enrolled in day-care centers or schools.

The 4Ps is the first nationwide program to directly hand over cash to poor Filipinos.

The program was given P21 billion from President Aquino’s first national budget in 2011. The amount was raised to P39.4 billion in 2012. For 2013, the government has proposed to spend P44.25 billion for the program.

Data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development as of May 29 showed that 3,912,718 household-beneficiaries and some 9.2 million children in 1,627 cities and municipalities in 79 provinces in 17 regions nationwide were enrolled in the CCT.—Inquirer Research

Sources: DSWD, Inquirer Archives