The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is seeing signs of success in the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) as 65 percent of the over 700,000 beneficiaries who have graduated as of February 2024 are considered self-sufficient

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in a Malacanang briefing on Tuesday disclosed that as of February 2024, more than 700,000 of the 4.4 million 4Ps beneficiaries have graduated from the program. Of this number, he said, 65 percent or 482,000 were due to self-sufficiency while the 34 percent or 248,000 graduated because of natural attrition.

Gatchalian added they are also seeing signs of success of the 4Ps based on some social media pages where some of 4Ps beneficiaries have graduated class valedictorians while some have finished their studies with a promising job and are now helping their siblings.

Gatchalian, however, was quick to note that the changes in the lives of the beneficiaries could not be attributed to DSWD’s 4Ps program alone but to the whole-of-government approach as well, which include sectors from the education and employment, among others

“The amount of graduates from 4Ps program as of this date, February 2024 is close to around 700,000 of the 4.4 (million who) have graduated kasama na diyan ‘yung gumanda ‘yung antas ng pamumuhay, ‘yung mga umaabot na sa seven-year-mark, pero mayorya dun sa 700,000 mga 65 percent, upon evaluation of our social workers, ay nakita nilang self-sufficient na,” Gatchalian said.

While some of the beneficiaries are already considered self-sufficient, Gatchalian clarified, they will continue to receive assistance from the government through other poverty alleviation mechanisms like the newly-created Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP).

“Hindi ibig sabihing pwede na naming bitawan kaya nga nandiyan ‘yung ? ‘yan ang next mechanism for them na kung bigla na naman bumalik ng dangers sa vulnerability programs like AKAP can help them from spiraling down back to poverty,” he said. Presidential News Desk