Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 15) — Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the reassessment of beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) would be completed by September.
During a Palace briefing on Tuesday, Gatchalian said they are looking at 1.4 million families, with about 700,000 of those previously tagged as non-poor before COVID lockdowns.The other half, meanwhile, was not assessed due to mobility restrictions during the pandemic.“Come the end of September, tapos na ‘yung reassessment (the reassessment is complete), and what we can do next is start paying them,” the DSWD secretary said.Gatchalian’s statement came as the DSWD was one of the agencies that underspent in the first quarter.“Bagama’t gusto namin bilisan ang paglabas ng pondo, gusto namin mabawasan ‘yung impression na maling tao ang nakakatanggap,” he said.[Translation: Although we want to speed up the release of funds, we want to reduce the impression that the wrong persons would receive the assistance.]
