DSWD: Amendments in 4Ps law to include easing 7-year restriction

MANILA, Philippines — The amendment to the law providing the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) will allow the beneficiaries to stay in the program for more than seven years, according to Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Tuesday.

During the Post-Sona (State of the Nation Address) discussion, Gatchalian said that this is to ensure better living conditions for the beneficiaries without the restriction of the seven-year period.

President Marcos announced in his fourth Sona that there should be an amendment to the law of 4Ps so there will be enough time to alleviate the living conditions of the beneficiaries.

READ: DSWD to 4Ps beneficiaries: Ensure children’s sustained education

“Dahil sa panawagan ng pangulo, hindi na nila kailangan mangamba dahil aamyendahan ’yung batas sa tulong ng Kongreso at Senado para yung mga di pa ready umalis sa programa ay manatili muna,” Gatchalian said.

(Because of the president’s call, they don’t have to worry because the law will be amended with the help of the Congress so those who are not yet ready to exit the program can stay.)

The Republic Act No. 11310 or the Act Institutionalizing the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program states it is a “human capital investment that provides conditional cash transfer to poor households for a maximum period of seven years.”

Gatchalian mentioned that while 1.4 million Filipino families graduated from the program in the past three years, around 2 million families are forced to exit the program next year due to the provision of the law despite their situations.

READ: DSWD assures graduating 4Ps beneficiaries of continued gov’t support

Gatchalian noted that many beneficiaries’ living conditions worsened when the Covid-19 pandemic and inflation hit.

“Itong programa na to ang namumuhunan tayo sa taumbayan, this is an investment in human capital. Hindi pa tapos yung ating pamumuhunan, kailangan nating siguraduhin na hindi masayang yung investment natin,” Gatchalian noted.

(In this program, we capitalize on the people, this is an investment in human capital. Even if we are not yet done, we need to ensure that our investment will not go to waste.)

In his speech, Marcos encouraged the local government units to search for the families that can benefit from the program. /cb