IMEE WANTS EXPANSION OF 4PS TO INCLUDE UNCONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER FOR BED-RIDDEN SENIORS, PWDs

Senator Imee Marcos urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to expand the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to still unserved poor Filipinos, and include unconditional cash transfers for bed-ridden senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Marcos, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, held a hearing Tuesday, April 23, on several bills proposing amendments to the "4Ps Act (Republic Act 11310)" and the institutionalization of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS).

"Mayaman na nga ang Pilipinas at umaasenso sa ekonomiya pero marami pa ring Pilipinong naiiwan. Kaya ito nga tinitignan natin yung 4Ps kung paanong palalaganapin kasi mayroong nakakalimutan o napag-iiwanan katulad ng bed-ridden seniors at yung mga severely challenged na PWD.

"Matagal ko nang sinasabi, huwag nang gawing conditional cash transfer--unconditional na yan at yan ay utos ng ating Panginoon, nasa Bibliya yan, pangalagaan na lang yung matatanda at yung may kapansanan na hindi nakakapagtrabaho," Marcos said, in an interview with reporters.

Since the program's inception in 2007, 4Ps indicators have been limited to health and vaccination, and education. The senator stressed it should offer "a more diversified menu to cover more poor beneficiaries."

She explained, "There are other causes of poverty not addressed by 4Ps... Dapat from 2007 it should diversify; hindi na sapat ang 2 measurements: vaccination and education."

Marcos also urged the DSWD, in collaboration with other government agencies and non-government organizations (NGOs), to come up with practical "exit strategies" for 4Ps beneficiaries to allow more impoverished Filipinos to avail of the program, including the Alternative Learning System (ALS), adult education, and entrepreneurship and other employment activities.

For 4Ps to succeed, families must eventually be able to be self-sufficient, she stressed, noting a Commission on Audit (CoA) report stating 90% of active 4Ps beneficiaries in 2022 were still well below the poverty line and would remain there.

The same report noted a total of 4.2 million active 4Ps beneficiaries have been on the program for 7 to 13 years.

"Dahil kung titingnan ang 4Ps, ang titingnan lang natin dyan yung mga pamilya na may mga anak na minors--under 18 years old--at dalawa lang ang palatandaan: vaccination at magtapos ng high school. Yun lang. Pero walang isinasaad na kailangang maghanap ng trabaho, kailangang mag-umpisa ng hanapbuhay at kailangan i-upgrade ang kaalaman at magkaroon ng diploma.

"Walang ganoon sa magulang kaya't ito ang tinututukan natin at pinipilit ko na sana magkaroon ng iba't ibang exit strategy, hangga't maaari, mag-'graduate' na kaagad sabay bago na naman na mga magulang at pamilya ang makikinabang sa 4Ps para tuloy-tuloy ang tulong sa iba't ibang pamilya," Marcos said.

The senator also underscored the necessity for a comprehensive and thorough evaluation of the program, integrating assessments conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), Social Welfare Indicator (SWIn), and the World Bank to determine how it has effectively impacted the poor sector of Philippine society.

She maintained the same position for AICS.

"Alam nating kulang ang pera so i-prioritize natin ang pinakaimportanteng programa, and determine which of the programs are not doing well," she explained.

To prevent the politicization of AICS and to allow DSWD "to do its job," Marcos agreed with the position of the department barring local and national leaders from having any say on the beneficiaries' list.

Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian led the DSWD contingent in the hearing.