The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has some delisted 1.3 million beneficiaries from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program after validating that they are no longer qualified under the government’s 4Ps.
Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo submitted the report on the matter before President Marcos during the recent Cabinet meeting in Malacañang.
In his report, Tulfo said at least 1.3 million out of 4.4 million 4Ps beneficiaries are no longer considered ‘poor’ to qualify for the program’s benefits.
Angeles said Tulfo’s cited figure “frees up P15 billion for other qualified persons to replace them and may now be included in the 4Ps program.”
The 4Ps provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor, to improve the health, nutrition, and education of their children aged 0-18. Patterned after the conditional cash transfer (CCT) schemes in Latin American and African countries, it has helped millions of poor families worldwide.
The 4Ps also helps the Philippine government fulfill its commitment to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), specifically in helping eradicate hunger, in achieving universal primary education, reducing child mortality, and in improving maternal health care.