No plan to end 4Ps — DSWD

MANILA, Philippines -  The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has clarified reports that the government will end its flagship poverty alleviation project, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps in 2019.

“We have not made any categorical decision to end 4Ps…even as we stated...that it should not be institutionalized,” Secretary Judy Taguiwalo said in a statement.

Taguiwalo said only the counterpart budget provided by  the World Bank (WB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) are set to end.

She said the WB-funded Social Welfare and Development Reform Project II loan amounting to $450 million will end on Dec. 31, 2019 while the $400-million loan with ADB is set to end on June 30, 2020.

“We have no plans to discontinue 4Ps… But the program itself continues to be subject to review and improvements,” said Taguiwalo. 

She cited the need to assess the beneficiaries of the program in terms of poverty levels and the needs of their families. “We are assessing the program based on the experiences of inclusion and exclusion,” Taguiwalo said.

She said they also plan to implement “protective measures” to safeguard the program from political influence at the community and local government level.

 Taguiwalo said payout delays and measures to improve and shorten verification of households are also part of the review.