Senator Imee Marcos asked on Tuesday the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to rethink its Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in consideration of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Marcos, who led the Senate finance subcommittee's deliberation of the DSWD's P171.22 billion proposed 2021 budget, issued the request as she maintained her "long-standing" advocacy for the overhaul of the 4Ps.
The 4Ps is the national government's poverty reduction strategy since 2007 providing conditional cash grants to "poorest of the poor" households. In April 2019, President Duterte signed the law institutionalizing the program, wherein monthy educational and health financial aid are given to the beneficiaries for a maximum of seven years.
"Kasi (Because) all evaluations point to the fact that it only addresses short-term poverty...It has not really reduced poverty levels in significant ways," Marcos claimed.
"Baka naman may COVID, baka may ma-recommend kayo na i-diversify at i-refocus 'yong efforts ng 4Ps (Now we have a COVID-19 crisis, maybe you have any recommendations to diversify and refocus the efforts of 4Ps). Siguro naman 'yong mga nakatawid na, alisin na sa tawiran dahil naka-ilang taon na rin eh, 2007 hanggang ngayon (Maybe we can remove from the program those have been able to improve their lives)," she continued.
Sen. Nancy Binay, who also attended the hybrid hearing, also requested for a report from the agency on the impact of the program to its beneficiaries.
4Ps national program manager Gemma Gabuya reported that about 100,000 beneficiaries have exited the program and whose "economic conditions have improved".
But Marcos quipped: "Nako naman! After 13 years 100,000 lang ang graduates, ano ba! Mas marami pa yatang namatay!"
"Palagay ko after COVID, baka kailangan ibalik din 'yong 100,000 na tatanggalin nila (I think after the COVID-19 pandemic, maybe they would need to take back those 100,000 that they removed)," Binay agreed.
Gabuya said they have delisted a total of 562,467 beneficiaries from the 4Ps, while some 180,000 were newly-registered members.
"Maybe we can look to the 4Ps program more carefully and not do a one-size-fits-all subsidy but rather a more focused approach...Now, this pandemic is the time that we address those different and varied needs of our marginalized sectors," Marcos appealed.
DSWD Rolando Bautista said that since this year, they have "already formulated innovations and improvement with regards to the program."