It would never have occurred to Marilou to register her children had it not been one of the requirements for the validation of qualified beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program commonly called as 4Ps.

4Ps is a poverty reduction program of the Philippine  government that provides conditional cash grants to extremely poor households to allow them to meet certain human development goals in exchange of compliance to co-responsibilities. A household-beneficiary can receive as much as P1, 400 each month. The cash grant includes P500 per month for nutrition and health expenses and P300 monthly per child up to a maximum of 3 children per household for educational expenses. They could receive cash grants up to five years as long as they comply with the conditionalities.

The conditions are the following: parents must ensure that their children attend school at least 85% of the time, and receive vaccinations and preventive health care. Pregnant women must receive pre- and post-natal care and be attended during childbirth by a skilled birth attendant. Parents must attend responsible parenthood seminars, mother's classes, and parent effectiveness seminars.

Marilou Encabo who is six months pregnant was among the 2,609 beneficiaries in Magsaysay who have been receiving cash grants from the program since June 2008.

Last May, Marilou received P800 intended for health and education of her 7 year-old son who is in elementary school.
Prior to receiving her cash grant, Marilou already had her pre-natal check-up at the Barangay Health Center where she was given a shot of tetanus toxoid. Her children, on the other hand, had a dose of deworming pills.

The mountain area where Marilou resides is five kilometers away from  Brgy. Paclolo. It is also home to 1,031 Mangyans who are all generous and hospitable despite their poverty.  The barangay is a ride away from the municipality. Distance is one of the primary factors that contribute to the exclusion of the Mangyans from the activities and basic services in the community.

The awareness on the importance of health and education is a big step towards improvement in the lives of the Mangyans in Marilou’s barangay. “She realized that her three children need health services and primary education and it is her responsibility as a parent to ensure that they avail them,” says Lerma Isidro, Municipal Link of Magsaysay. This is the beginning of the involvement of the Mangyans. They are gradually gaining a place in the community which will pave the way for their empowerment.

The Municipal Civil Registrar declared that as of March 2009 (the month when the community assembly was conducted in Magsaysay), the registration for birth and marriage was estimated to have increased 10% compared to last year. The collection for Community Tax Certificate as of March 2009 likewise increased to P69,176.23 from P23,966.27 compared to March 2008. ### (4Ps Social Marketing Unit)