The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assured beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) from geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) that they will continue receiving proper monitoring and program updates from 4Ps personnel who brave the risks in order to reach out to them.
“Ito yung madalas hindi nakikita ng ating mga kababayan, yung pinagdadaanan ng mga city at municipal links na tinatawag natin. Kadalasan mga social workers yan eh. Sila yung tumatawid ng ilog, sumasakay sa kabayo, naglalakad ng ilang oras upang mapuntahan laman yung ating mga beneficiaries…kahit sila po ay nandoon sa tinatawag nating mga GIDA areas,” 4Ps Social Marketing Division Chief (DC) Marie Grace Ponce said during the 4th episode of the ‘4Ps Fastbreak’ on Wednesday (October 2).
DC Ponce said the agency uses community broadcasting methods to update the 4Ps beneficiaries in GIDA.
“Gumagamit din tayo ng mga community radios para marating at maipaalam sa kanila kung ano na nga ba ang mga latest doon sa ating programa. Ang ibig sabihin nyan, laging may pamamaraan upang ma-reach natin yung mga beneficiary natin na nasa liblib na lugar,” DC Ponce pointed out.
She also reminded the beneficiaries about the conditionalities of the program.
“Paulit-ulit po nating sinasabi na yung cash grants may kaakibat po ito na pagtalima o pagsunod doon sa mga itinakdang conditions. Bukod dito tinuturuan din natin sila ng iba’t ibang pamamaraan upang sa ganoon sila ay magkaroon ng tinatawag nating pagbabago doon sa kanilang pamumuhay. Na hindi lang sila nakaasa at nakadepende doon sa ating pamahalaan,” DC Ponce said.
For health conditions, pregnant women should have pre and postnatal checkups.
For education, children 3-18 years old must be enrolled in school and daycare or preschool, elementary, and high school children must have 85% class attendance rate in a school year.
One of the unique conditions of 4Ps is the attendance of parent-beneficiaries to the Family Development Sessions (FDS).
Attendance to the monthly FDS is mandatory for 4Ps beneficiaries as part of the agency’s commitment to empower marginalized communities through education and practical support.
Launched in 2008 and institutionalized by Republic Act No. 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.
Each household-beneficiary receives Php750 per month for health; Php300 per child in elementary, Php500 per child in junior high school, and Php700 per child in senior high school for education, with a maximum of three children per household for 10 months in a school year; and a monthly rice subsidy of Php600 for active and compliant households.
