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A measure seeking to expand the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) through the addition of an adult education component in the existing law has been overwhelmingly passed in the House of Representatives. 

House Bill (HB) No. 8497 or the measure promoting inclusive education, entrepreneurship, and employment for sustainable development among adult beneficiaries of the 4Ps was approved on third and final reading during plenary session late Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 22. 

“4Ps is the national government's flagship poverty reduction initiative," House Speaker Martin Romualdez said in a statement following the measure’s final approval by the chamber. 

"The bill amends Section 2 of RA No.11310 so that the law may promote education among adult male beneficiaries through alternative learning system, entrepreneurship training, and employment training to achieve sustainable development," explained Romualdez. 

The measure further provides that the community mobilization grant, which refers to a conditional cash transfer that is used to finance meals and transportation related to the availment of adult education, "must not be lower than P500 per instance per adult beneficiary of the adult education program". 

The 4Ps law currently provides conditional cash transfer grants of at least P300 per month per child for a maximum of 10 months per year for children enrolled in day care and elementary programs, at least P500 per month per child for up to 10 months per year for children enrolled in junior high school, and at least P700 per month per child for up to 10 months per year for senior high school. 

The proposed adult education component of the 4Ps law requires that "at least one adult beneficiary must join and complete" any of the following tracks of adult education: 

1) Non-formal education through the ALS track of the Department of Education (DepEd). The ALS track refers to a parallel learning system that provides a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction and encompasses both non-formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills; 

2) Entrepreneurship track of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). This refers to interventions which focus on the establishment of micro enterprise through enhancement of skills, provision of financial capital and building or re-building physical and natural assets, and which covers product development, marketing, and basic business finance; or 

3) Employment track of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) or their accredited private sector and civil society organizations.This refers to programs through which learners and workers are provided with learning opportunities to acquire, upgrade, or both, their ability, knowledge, and behavior pattern required as qualifications for a job or range of jobs in a given occupational area. 

"The availment of adult education shall commence on the second year of enrollment in the 4Ps," it further said. 

As per the bill, adult education refers to interventions that improve technical or professional qualifications, further develop abilities, acquire or enrich knowledge, skills and competencies in a new field through alternative learning system track, entrepreneurship track or employment track. 

The measure also provides for post skills training following the beneficiaries' completion of their selected adult education track.