The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) urged the household beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to secure insurance coverage and become future pensioners through the state-run Social Security System (SSS).
“Before graduating from 4Ps, beneficiaries must have security or insurance,” said DSWD Director and 4Ps National Program Manager Gemma Gabuya, citing the importance of insurance within the Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI) framework.
In a DSWD statement on Friday, June 14, Gabuya said the initiative reflects the agency’s commitment to ensure the financial security and sustainability of 4Ps beneficiaries as they transition out of the 4Ps program.
“We want our 4Ps beneficiaries to have a stable source of income, whether through self-employment or formal employment. Part of our metric is for them to avail of SSS insurance,” she added.
However, Gabuya clarified that the SSS monthly premium should be shouldered by the beneficiaries.
“Given that they now have an income, either through employment or self-employment, SSS membership is accessible to all with an income. We strongly encourage them to take advantage of this,” she said.
The 4Ps national program manager said the DSWD and the SSS are exploring possibilities of providing subsidies in times of disaster or unforeseen challenges to ensure continuous coverage for the beneficiaries.
The 4Ps, institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11310, is the DSWD's flagship program aimed at breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty through human capital investments.