The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) does not reduce the amount of cash grants of program beneficiaries without valid reasons.
Thus said DSWD Director and 4Ps National Program Manager (NPM) Gemma Gabuya in response to queries whether the amount of cash grants that they will receive will be reduced if they are not registered under the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys).
“That is not true. In fact, we help all our beneficiaries obtain an ID. So we have a partnership now with PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority) in our PhilSys ID [registration]…they actually register on site to have a national ID. So they are not reduced,” Gabuya said in a mix of English and Filipino.
She explained that the household beneficiaries are encouraged to register for the national ID system so that they can avail of the benefits of having a national identification card: “Because they won’t have a hard time, for example, they already have services to ask for, they won’t ask for many IDs again.”
Those who register with PhilSys may also avail of the Family Development Sessions (FDS) compliance equivalency for two months. 4Ps beneficiaries can register with PhilSys at various designated centers, such as barangay halls, malls, FDS co-location venues, and special sites organized by the PSA.
Gabuya added that a reduction in grants can only happen if beneficiaries were not able to comply with the conditionalities of the program or if they failed to update their beneficiary profiles with their city or municipal links.
To continuously avail of the cash grants, the beneficiaries should comply with several conditionalities, including sending their children to school, bringing them to health centers for check-ups, and attending the FDS conducted monthly by the DSWD.
