An official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has called for more support services for some 1.2 million household-beneficiaries who are expected to exit from the program this year to ensure that the gains to improve their well-being will be sustained.

The call was made by Director Gemma Gabuya, national program manager of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, during the DSWD Thursday Media Forum on February 1 at the New Press Center, DSWD Central Office in Quezon City.

“Actually ang ine-expect sa amin by 2024, 1.2 million ang kailangang mag-exit. So, ‘yun ang challenge ko ngayon. We really need to put together all efforts. Kailangan talagang may sasalo na programa, I mean the scholarship and the livelihood,” Director Gabuya pointed out.

(It is expected from us that by 2024, 1.2 million need to exit from the program. So, that is the challenge for me now. There should really be programs to support them.)

The 4Ps national program director added: “Ini-strengthen namin ang ating partnership with the National Advisory Council dahil nandyan lahat ang mga ahensiya at local government units na magtulong tulong upang maihanda natin ang pag-exit nitong 1.2 milyon.”

(We are strengthening our partnership with the National Advisory Council because all the agencies are there as well as the local government units and we need to work together to prepare for the exit of the 1.2 million.)

The 4Ps program manager reiterated that the support programs are really important to ensure that the gains made on the poor beneficiaries will not go to waste.

“May sasalo dapat kasi pina-graduate natin sila ng senior high school at saka for the last 10 years nag-invest pa, mag stop lang pala ang bata kung wala silang livelihood,” Director Gabuya explained.

The 4Ps program director said the household-beneficiaries should have a complementary program because the grants from 4Ps are not sole income but are specifically intended for the education of the children.

“ ‘Yong grants ay hindi sasagot doon sa pampuhunan o kaya ay nasira ang bahay pag may disaster. Sa pag-aaral lang talaga ng mga bata, wala nang iba pa,” Director Gabuya said.

(The grants do not address the need for capital to start a business or to help repair houses damaged by disasters. These are solely for the education of the children, nothing else.)

Director Gabuya said that with 1.2 million beneficiaries exiting, more new poor households can be accommodated and will benefit from the 4Ps program.

At present, local government units (LGUs) provide various support services to households who have already graduated from the 4Ps. These include livelihood, educational, and cash assistance, as well as skills training, among others.

The 4Ps is the national poverty reduction strategy and a human capital investment program of the Philippine government that provides conditional cash transfer to improve the health, nutrition, and the education of children aged 0-18.