A senior official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has reiterated that the agency welcomes partnerships with other institutions and the private sector to address the long-term needs of vulnerable groups, including members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
“Under the whole-of-nation approach, the Marcos administration aims to create an environment where the private and the public sectors work hand-in-hand to help our country achieve sustainable development. We always reiterate that the DSWD can only do so much within its mandate to help address the needs of poor, vulnerable, and marginalized sectors; thus, we welcome partnerships with private entities and other agencies to help 4Ps grantees to access other programs and services, with the ultimate goal of helping them to achieve long-term self-sufficiency,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, the DSWD’s spokesperson, explained on Wednesday (March 19).
One of the examples mentioned by the agency’s spokesperson is the recent partnership of the DSWD with Globe Telecom and G-Xchange, Inc. (GXI), the operator of GCash, that donated smart phones to 4Ps grantees to provide the beneficiaries with the essential tools to access the country’s digital financial system.
“The goal of the Philippine government is to ensure that no one gets left behind in our journey toward long-term development. This includes equipping 4Ps beneficiaries with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to navigate the complexities in today’s modern society, which is highly influenced by technology,” the DSWD spokesperson said.
Asst. Secretary Dumlao also pointed out that one of the unique development components of the 4Ps is the attendance to family development sessions (FDS), a conditionality that promotes holistic development and social awareness among 4Ps grantees.
“The 4Ps is not just about short-term assistance in the health and education of children. Through the FDS sessions, we want to reduce disparity in access to information that are crucial to help 4Ps beneficiaries to acquire various life skills, such as active citizenship, disaster preparedness, responsible budgeting and savings, digital financial literacy, and other guide to family development,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.
The 4Ps also links its program beneficiaries to other government agencies and institutions to help them find other appropriate services such as housing, scholarships for higher education, social insurance, and livelihood opportunities.
“By working with other partners, we do not only provide aid, but we also ensure that our beneficiaries will not slide back to poverty because they have acquired sufficient education and skills that will help them find stable employment to enable them to address their long-term needs,” the DSWD official emphasized.
The 4Ps is the national poverty reduction strategy and a human capital investment program of the Philippine government, with DSWD as the lead agency. Eligible household-beneficiaries are entitled to receive cash subsidies provided that the conditions on health, nutrition, and education are followed.
The program puts a premium on giving poor and vulnerable families the means to break-away from the intergenerational cycle of poverty through human capital investments. (AKDL)