‘Unclaimed 4Ps funds only P708 million’

MANILA, Philippines — Contrary to a Commission on Audit report, the amount of unclaimed Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps cash grants is only P708.7 million and not P1.2 billion, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

DSWD Secretary Virginia Orogo explained that the supposed unclaimed funds are balances of less than P100 in the cash cards of beneficiary-families, which cannot be withdrawn from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

“After closely coordinating with the Landbank on the validation of the accounts being questioned, the Pantawid Pamilya-National Program Management Office (NPMO) said about 95.5 percent or 1,806,798 of the accounts have balances of less than P100,” Orogo said.

The DSWD chief said accounts are only considered inactive or non-moving if there are no withdrawals for more than 180 days.  

 “To declare that the holders of the accounts were not in dire need of assistance and do not really belong to the poorest of the poor is an unfair assumption,” Orogo said.

She also cited delays in the processing of change of grantee requests, transfer of old accounts as well as unreported damaged, lost and captured cash cards.

Orogo said replacement of lost or damaged cash cards takes three months to one year.

The NPMO said 19,519 accounts amounting to P176,902,948.03 had been withdrawn as of Aug. 7.

Another 12,841 accounts are up for closure after beneficiaries were delisted, waived or transferred to new accounts.

The NPMO said the accounts of 5,236 beneficiary-families are awaiting replacement of cash cards with P43,091,520.21.

Another 1,629 accounts with P21,049,238.06 have issues on withdrawal because the cash cards were lost, damaged or returned by beneficiaries who forgot their PIN number.

“The DSWD ensures that the poorest of the poor are given the appropriate response, monitors each account of the beneficiaries and that the resources of the government are utilized accordingly,” Orogo said.