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Wednesday, January 22, 2025
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Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Marcos seeks inclusion of DSWD welfare projects to programmed funds

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President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. has called for the removal of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) programs from the unprogrammed appropriations in next year’s budget, aiming to expedite assistance for Filipinos in need.

“DSWD programs should no longer [be] in the unprogrammed appropriation next year,” Marcos said during a meeting with DSWD officials on Tuesday at Malacañan Palace. 

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“It should be there [programmed] so it can be utilized immediately,” he added, emphasizing the need for quicker access to government welfare initiatives.

The discussion focused on the agency’s budget review under the Fiscal Year 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and its alignment with the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

The DSWD’s budget was reduced by P10.85 billion, or 4.79%, from P226.67 billion in the NEP to P15.82 billion in the GAA. 

To address the gap, the agency is requesting P41.8 billion in additional funding from the unprogrammed appropriations to sustain the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) grants for the latter half of 2025.

The 4Ps program, a flagship initiative to reduce poverty through conditional cash transfers, however, has faced scrutiny over its effectiveness. 

A 2021 report by the Commission on Audit (COA) revealed that about 90% of active 4Ps beneficiaries remained below the poverty threshold despite years of assistance, raising concerns about the program’s impact on alleviating poverty.

Additionally, issues such as the need for improved grievance redress systems have been highlighted to ensure quality program delivery.

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