Quezon City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development commemorates the signing of the Republic Act 11310 otherwise known as the Institutionalization of the  Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps),  today, April 17.

With the signing of the law, 4Ps is now the national poverty reduction strategy of the government. It is an investment in the human capital that provides conditional cash transfer to poor households to improve on their health, nutrition and education aspects.

The law provides for major development in its implementation that includes an increase in the cash grant, inter-agency support in uplifting the lives of the poor, program assessment by the government think tanks among others.

With these changes, the program was on track in providing the necessary policy support to ensure seamless operationalization of the law.  First and foremost was the crafting of its Implementing Rules and Regulations or IRR which was duly signed last December 10, 2019.

This was also supported by the very first resolution of the National Advisory Committee (NAC) providing for the, ‘Regularity of Release and Amount of Conditional Transfer to Beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.  The amounts of  conditional cash transfer are P300 per month per child enrolled in daycare and elementary programs for a maximum of ten (10) months per year; P500 pesos per month per child enrolled in junior high school for a maximum of ten (10)  months per year; P700 pesos per month per child enrolled in senior high school for a maximum of ten (10) months per year; and P750 pesos per month for a maximum of twelve (12) months per year for health and nutrition. 

Part of the health monitoring aspect of the program is the attendance of household grantee to the monthly Family Development Sessions that provide skills enhancements for households on parenting roles and responsibilities towards family development, advocating active citizenship and community involvement.

As provided by the law, qualified-household beneficiaries of the 4Ps are the priority in availing interventions from the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) giving the access to gainful employment or livelihood opportunities. They may also access similar programs offered by other government agencies or accredited private institutions, ensuring interventions are in place for the beneficiary acquiring the full cycle of behavior change towards becoming productive members of their community.  

Amid the COVID-19 crisis which the country is experiencing right now which declared the enhanced quarantine in Luzon since March 2020 suspending mass gathering, the program now is on “force majeure”, where beneficiary compliances are suspended as a requirement to receive cash grants. DSWD has continuously worked to support the 4Ps beneficiaries by ensuring the provision of their receipt of cash grants and accurate information they will need at this time of crisis.  ###