More than 1.6 million Filipino households have exited the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) since it was launched in 2008, with the Cordillera Administrative Region recording the highest number of families classified as self-sufficient.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said the households were assessed to have reached a level where they no longer needed to remain under the government’s flagship conditional cash transfer program.

In a statement on Monday, May 11, DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the program has helped families move beyond the “survival” and “subsistence” stages used in the agency’s monitoring system.

“Throughout its almost 18 years of implementation, the 4Ps has helped over 1.6 million families to rise from poverty. This achievement serves as a testament to the government’s commitment to support poor Filipino families to attain self-sufficiency and end the intergenerational cycle of poverty,” Dumlao said.

Data from the DSWD showed that more than 174,000 households from the Cordillera Administrative Region have graduated from the program.

Metro Manila followed with over 141,000 graduate households, while Ilocos Region recorded more than 129,000.

Calabarzon and Central Luzon logged over 127,000 and 122,000 graduates, respectively.

Beneficiaries are evaluated through the Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI), a tool used by the DSWD to measure a household’s economic and social condition, including income, livelihood, and access to basic services.

“Under the SWDI, households are classified into three well-being levels: survival (Level 1), subsistence (Level 2), and self-sufficient (Level 3). The program utilizes the result to pinpoint interventions required for families to reach the self-sufficiency status,” Dumlao said.

DSWD said families preparing to exit the program undergo a transition process through the “Kilos-Unlad” social case management strategy, which links beneficiaries to services and assistance from local governments, national agencies, and private sector partners.

Graduating beneficiaries are also recognized through “Pugay Tagumpay” ceremonies organized by the DSWD and local government units, where families receive certificates marking their completion of the program.

“We have been reiterating that the 4Ps is an investment to the future of Filipino families—a conditional cash transfer program that helps low-income household to meet the health and education needs of children. Rather than temporary relief, 4Ps empowers beneficiaries to take charge of their future by building their capacities and empowering them towards long-term development,” Dumlao said.

The 4Ps program is a flagship anti-poverty initiative of the government, providing cash grants to low-income households on the condition that children attend school and families comply with health-related requirements.