Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 26) — Over 700,000 beneficiaries who were earlier considered as non-poor will be included again in the conditional cash transfer program.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday said that 761,140 families still need assistance after a reassessment of over a million Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) households tagged as non-poor based on Listahanan 3.
“Kasi nakita natin na hindi pa nila kaya economically na ma-sustain ang kanilang pangangailangan,” said 4Ps national program manager Gemma Gabuya in a forum.
[Translation: We found that they cannot sustain themselves economically.]
The DSWD conducted the reassessment after delisted beneficiaries appealed the move, citing their poor economic and social situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rising prices of basic goods.
Gabuya said officials looked at several factors, including how many times beneficiary families are able to eat in one day, health, and if there are still children in the family attending school.
She added that reactivated beneficiaries can expect to begin receiving cash grants again beginning this month or November. Aid was halted in January.
Only 339,660 families were found to be self-sufficient, with a more stable source of income to meet basic needs such as education and health care, Gabuya said.
These households will officially exit the 4Ps and will be endorsed to their local government unit for post-service monitoring.
On the other hand, the DSWD also warned the public against promises by candidates in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections that they can get families into the program.
Social Welfare Assistant Secretary Rommel Lopez saidonly DSWD personnel can process 4Ps applications.
“Wala po silang matuturo, wala silang maire-rekomenda dahil sistema po ng DSWD ang gumagana sa pag-identify ng ating 4Ps beneficiaries,” Lopez said.
[Translation: They cannot point you to anyone or recommend someone because it’s only the DSWD system that can identify 4Ps beneficiaries.]
