4Ps cash aid through e-wallets eyed

MANILA, Philippines — Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps will soon receive their cash aid through e-wallets.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development is in the process of “migrating” 4Ps beneficiaries to e-wallets, which can easily be used to send and receive money, pay bills as well as purchase food, basic goods and services, according to DSWD Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez.

“This is an upgrade from the 4Ps beneficiaries’ basic deposit accounts from the current automated teller machine (ATM) cards to electronic or digital wallets such as GCash and Pay Maya,” Lopez said.

He said e-wallets would be ”most helpful” to 4Ps beneficiaries in isolated and disadvantaged areas, where going to the nearest ATM machine is “costly and hard.”

“E-wallets like GCash that have thousands of merchant partners serve as an easier way to get their regular cash grants,” Lopez said.

He said the DSWD conducted a simultaneous pilot implementation of its digital financial literacy program in Northern Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, Bicol, Western Visayas and Caraga in preparation for the shift to the use of e-wallets.

“Since 2019, the DSWD has been embarking on financial inclusion initiatives to ensure that all 4Ps beneficiaries have fully functioning transaction accounts that they can utilize to help them save money and empower them to become more financially independent,” Lopez said.