The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is considering incorporating an additional health grant into the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) for the first 1,000 days of a child—from conception to two years old—to combat stunting and malnutrition.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian in a Malacañang televised briefing on Tuesday, Feb. 20 explained that since the existing health grant for 4Ps beneficiaries is limited to P700 per household, beneficiaries are not usually seeking prenatal and early childhood screenings.

To encourage a mother and child to engage in “health-seeking behaviors,” the DSWD chief said he had recommended to President Marcos that the current health grant should be maintained but that a first 1,000-day grant be introduced for health monitoring during pregnancy until the child has turned two.

“Ibig sabihin, mapipilitan sila pumunta sa health center, magparehistro kasi buntis sila. Kumuha ng prenatal care, post-natal care, post-partum treatments; pagdating ng zero to two, immunization (This means they will be forced to visit the health center and register because they are pregnant. Get prenatal care, postnatal care, and postpartum treatments; the child will be immunized from the time it is born until it is two years old),” he explained.

Gatchalian cited data showing low immunization rates—only 18 percent for 4Ps beneficiaries—attributing it to the beneficiaries’ remote locations and the high cost of traveling to vaccination centers.

“Pero if we suddenly introduce a first 1,000-day grant to defray the cost of commuting to your health center, maaaring ma-encourage silang pumunta sa mga health centers. But it will only last, it will only be for the subset of 4Ps na may nagbubuntis o nagpapasuso or zero to two iyong anak mo (But if we suddenly introduce a first 1,000-day grant to defray the cost of commuting to the health center, they may be encouraged to go to health centers. But it will only last, it will only be for the subset of 4Ps who are pregnant or breastfeeding or your child is not over two years old),” he said.

Gatchalian said the DSWD will continue to look for various programs to address the country’s stunting rate.