The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is in talks with the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development to revisit and amend the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) law.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the goal is to strengthen the program’s long-term impact in breaking the cycle of poverty.
In a recent meeting with Senator Erwin Tulfo, committee chair, Gatchalian proposed the inclusion of aftercare and livelihood programs to help 4Ps beneficiaries transition out of the program without falling back into poverty. He cited tools like the Sustainable Livelihood Program as part of the support mechanism.
The two officials also agreed on the need to balance social welfare with development goals, shifting the culture from mendicancy to empowerment. Gatchalian said the long-term objective is to help families seize economic opportunities on their own.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier directed the DSWD to amend the 4Ps law, calling for program exit criteria based on actual living conditions instead of the fixed seven-year term currently mandated by Republic Act No. 11310.
The 4Ps provides conditional cash transfers to over 4.4 million households nationwide, supporting the health, nutrition, and education of children aged 0 to 18 as part of the government’s poverty reduction strategy.
