An official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) clarified that distributing cash incentives for exiting household-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is a prerogative of their respective local government units (LGUs).
This was pointed out by Director Gemma Gabuya, the 4Ps National Program Manager, as a response to the featured question from a netizen during the June 4 episode of the DSWD’s online program, “4Ps Fastbreak.”
Director Gabuya said the 4Ps management office hold graduation rites dubbed “Pugay Tagumpay” to recognize the milestones of household-beneficiaries who attained self-sufficiency status.
During the Pugay Tagumpay, the 4Ps NPM said the graduating households are given post-services interventions or graduation packages, which may include cash incentives given by their respective LGUs or referrals to concerned national government agencies (NGAs), to ensure that the beneficiaries will not slide back to poverty.
“Mayroon kasi tayong sinasabi sa guidelines na post services intervention, yung parang graduation or exit interventions. So ngayon, ang ating ka-partner ay ang ating local government units. Ang ibinibigay po sa atin ng ating mga partners, hindi lang naman local government, even national government agencies [nandiyan] ibinibigay rin yung existing services [nila],” Director Gabuya explained.
The 4Ps chief also pointed out that all household-beneficiaries undergo social case management so the program may refer them to other appropriate government offices.
“Pag pasok pa lang ng ating beneficiaries or households, talagang sinusubaybayan natin ano ba ang kanyang pangangailangan. In fact, doon sa first year mayroon tayong family visioning. So kung sinasabi niya, after seven years, ito ang gusto kong maabot,” Director Gabuya said.
The 4Ps beneficiaries also have household transition plans before completely exiting the program to help determine if they need additional interventions such as livelihood support, additional training, or referral for their children to access educational grants or scholarships for higher education.
Launched in 2008 and institutionalized by Republic Act (RA) 11310 in 2019, the 4Ps is the national poverty reduction strategy and human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfer to poor households for a maximum period of seven years to improve their children’s health, nutrition, and education.
The ‘4Ps Fastbreak’ is hosted by Information Officer Venus Balito of the Strategic Communication Group’s Digital Media Service (DMS) and is aired every Wednesday at 11 am, using the DSWD’s Facebook platform. (AKDL)