The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VII has conducted a reassessment of the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), who were identified as “non-poor” in the Listahanan 3 database.

As of August 30, 2023, a total of 69,561 4Ps households had already been administered using the Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI) tool.

The SWDI is being used by the DSWD as a case management tool to determine the progress of the households by measuring their level of well-being in terms of economic sufficiency and social adequacy.

DSWD-7 targets 76,309 4Ps households that were tagged as non-poor in Listahanan to finish by the end of August 2023.

Based on the set of indicators in terms of economic sufficiency and social adequacy, households are categorized into three levels: Level 1: survival; Level 2: subsistence; and Level 3: self-sufficiency. The result of the tool aids the program in identifying the interventions needed by the family in order to achieve self-sufficiency.

“While SWDI is being administered, we are encouraging the concerned 4Ps beneficiaries to continue complying with the conditions of the program, not just for the cash grants but for the benefit of their children and families as well,” said DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero.

“The re-assessment is a commitment of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian for the improvement of its program policies and systems to ensure that only deserving beneficiaries will be accorded conditional cash transfers with the goal of improving their overall health, nutrition, and education,” Director Lucero added.

The households are given cash grants when they comply with the program’s conditions. These include school attendance of at least 85% per month for children enrolled in preschool, elementary, or high school; children aged 5 and below to undergo preventive check-ups as mandated by the Department of Health (DOH); children enrolled in elementary to receive deworming pills twice within the school year; pregnant women must receive prenatal and postnatal care, based on DOH protocol; and parent(s) or guardians to attend monthly Family Development Sessions (FDS).

The 4Ps beneficiaries assessed as level 3 or self-sufficient will undergo the 4Ps Kilos Unlad Social Case Management Strategy, which aims to guide the 4Ps households in achieving sustained improved well-being, stepping out of poverty, and employing individual and family cooperation.

The Department assured the 4Ps households who will be graduating from the program of its continued support, as well as assistance from their respective local government units (LGUs) and other partner stakeholders, which shall provide other interventions and services after exiting from the program so they can sustain their level of well-being.

Currently, there are 297,500 active 4Ps households in the Central Visayas region.

The 4Ps is the government’s major poverty alleviation program that invests in health, nutrition, and education of the poor, eligible households. These, together with the psychosocial and educational components provided through the Family Development Session (FDS), lead the beneficiaries to have improved and sustained well-being. Implemented through DSWD, the program was institutionalized in 2019 by Republic Act 11310, or the 4Ps Act. ###

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