House eyes more grants in revised 4Ps legislation
The House of Representatives is nearing the passage of a consolidated measure that seeks to increase the benefits under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) for education, health care and nutrition.
“We want to strengthen social protection for the country’s low-income households,” House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos.
“Passing a consolidated 4Ps bill is important to strengthen support for education, health, and nutrition. It will help the government provide more sustained assistance to Filipino households,” Marcos said.
The House committee on poverty alleviation has already approved the measure, which is a consolidation of nine measures to amend Republic Act No. 11310, otherwise known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act.
Under the committee-approved amendments, the measure increases education cash grants for children of 4Ps beneficiaries at all levels—monthly assistance from P300 to P500 for day care and elementary pupils, from P500 to P700 for junior high school students and from P700 to P900 for senior high school students, for up to ten months each year.
Health support will also see an increase, with the monthly health grant rising from P750 to P1,800 for up to twelve months annually.
Meanwhile, children with disabilities will receive an additional P400 per month to recognize their higher medical and care needs, while also introducing the Food and Nutrition Cash Grant of P1,100 per month for up to twelve months per year.
Furthermore, the bill also seeks to institutionalize the First 1,000 Days cash grant of P400 per month for children aged zero to two.
The measure also mandates more frequent reviews of cash grant levels and program outcomes, shortening the assessment cycle from every six years to every three years.
Lawmakers believe that if passed, the strengthened 4Ps will help keep children in school, improve health and nutrition, ease the daily financial burden on low-income families—and eventually, reduce intergenerational poverty and help build a healthier, more productive workforce.
The 4Ps program, operates in 17 regions, 79 provinces and 1,484 municipalities and 143 key cities, covering 4,090,667 household beneficiaries.
Implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the program is patterned after the system adopted by other developing countries, like Brazil (Bolsa Familia) and Mexico (Oportunidades).
