Voting 96-6, the House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading a measure institutionalizing the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) which aims to reduce poverty and promote human capital development.
House Bill 7773, principally authored by Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, proposes to prioritize investments on human capital, provide resources and improve delivery of services—particularly education, health, and nutrition—to the poor, ending the cycle of inter-generational poverty.
During the administration of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the 4s was introduced to assist the poor families through an executive order.
The program was continued by the Aquino administration, and even up to the present time.
The House will transmit the bill to the Senate for action.
The 4Ps Act also seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, empower women and girls and achieve gender equality, and capacitate those who cannot provide for themselves so that they become productive and healthy members of society.
HB 7773 defines the poor as those households whose income falls below the poverty threshold as determined by the National Economic and Development Authority and who cannot afford in a sustained manner to provide their minimum basic needs of food, health, education, housing, and other amenities.
The program will be implemented until it has covered 60 percent of the total number of extremely poor households in the country, as may be determined by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Under the measure, qualified households will be selected by the Department of Social Welfare and Development on a nationwide basis through a standardized targeting system.
The DSWD is also mandated to conduct a revalidation of targeting of beneficiaries every three years.
Each qualified household-beneficiary shall be entitled to a lump-sum conditional cash transfer equivalent to P2,200 each month for expenses on health, nutrition, and education.
In sum, a household-beneficiary may receive up to P26,400 in a year, for a maximum of five years.
The measure also allows for loan assistance if the beneficiary had successfully completed the required skills training.
The bill also provides that the DSWD will provide beneficiaries with direct and secured access to cash grants through authorized government depository banks.
If the locality is not adequately served by an AGDB, the DSWD may contract the services of rural banks, thrift banks, and other similar institutions duly accredited by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
The 4Ps Act also provides conditionalities of coverage.
For instance, children up to five years must receive regular preventive health check-ups and vaccinations, minors up to 18 years old must avail of de-worming pills at least twice a year, and pregnant women must avail of pre- and post-natal care and give birth with the assistance of a skilled or trained health care professional in a health facility.
The measure places emphasis on education as well, as it sets conditionalities that children three to four years of age must attend day care or pre-school classes at least 85 percent of the time, while children from 5 to 18 years old must attend elementary or secondary classes at least 85 percent of the time.
Moreover, at least one responsible person from the family must attend family development sessions conducted by the DSWD at least once a month.
At least one responsible person must also join and complete at least two government-recognized or accredited non-government organization-sponsored skills training programs or must be engaged in livelihood activities.
Should beneficiaries fail to comply with set conditions, they shall be dealt with through a case management system as provided under HB 7773.
Oversight and evaluation of the implementation of the program shall be under the purview of an Advisory Council to be created for the purpose.
It shall be established at the municipal, regional, and national levels and shall be chaired by the Office of the Cabinet Secretary.
Members of the Advisory Council shall be composed of representatives from the implementing national government agencies including the Neda, National Anti-Poverty Commission, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Finance, the local government unit concerned, and accredited NGOs.
To complement the monitoring activities of DSWD, an independent monitoring committee composed of representatives from the private sector and civil society organizations shall be established.