An official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development said Saturday that the conditions for the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the regions affected by typhoon “Ulysses,” including Metro Manila, will likely be waived.

4Ps National Program Manager Director Gemma Gabuya said it is the Field Office which has jurisdiction over the affected area that will make a request for the suspension of the compliance monitoring of the program.

“Force majeure is automatic once the area is declared affected. Magrequest lang ‘yong Field Office for the specific area (The Field Office for the specific area will make a request),” she said.

Less than a week ago, the DSWD said to declare force majeure, the DSWD regional director of the affected region must send an official memorandum to DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista requesting the suspension of compliance of conditions of 4Ps beneficiaries.

The department said such request "must be supported by a resolution from the local government unit (LGU) declaring the locality under a state of calamity."

When asked if the program conditionality will be waived in the eight regions ravaged by Ulysses, Gabuya said, “Yes, they will request it. That’s a regular task of the Central Office once (the area) is affected by a calamity. It’s in the 4Ps law.”

Rule 8, Section 15 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act (RA) 11310 or the 4Ps Act authorizes the Secretary of DSWD to suspend the monitoring of compliance of beneficiaries to program conditionality under force majeure circumstances such as calamities, war, and armed conflicts.

“This means that 4Ps beneficiaries will receive their full grants for the said period and are excused from complying with the program’s conditionality,” the DSWD explained.

The DSWD had earlier assured that 4Ps beneficiaries affected by super typhoon “Rolly” will be financially assisted, as the agency is studying the possibility of waiving the conditionality to ensure that full cash grants will be given to the program recipients in the affected regions.

The DSWD noted that its 4Ps National Project Management Office (NPMO) is facilitating the immediate release of the cash grants covering the pay period for August to September to 4Ps recipients in the affected regions.

Rolly affected Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon,  Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).