The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is making a significant impact by supporting nearly nine million children aged 0 to 18. The program offers cash grants to help these children stay healthy and attend school, aiming to break the cycle of poverty within their families. Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao emphasized that the program’s primary goal is to ensure children’s health, enabling them to pursue education and improve their future prospects.
The 4Ps has shown promising results, with over a million youth graduating from high school and nearly half a million completing elementary education by the end of 2024. Additionally, the program has helped nearly 40,000 former beneficiaries pass various licensure exams, with 65 of them achieving top scores. In 2024, the program supported over four million active households, with the highest concentration in the Bicol Region.
The 4Ps remains inclusive, serving vulnerable groups such as senior citizens, solo parents, indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities. By December 2024, over a million seniors, nearly 300,000 solo parents, over 250,000 indigenous peoples, and 50,000 PWDs were among the beneficiaries receiving cash grants to support their children’s education.
The program operates nationwide, including in the challenging region of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), where it supports over 230,000 active households. Notably, as of December 2024, 86% of the 4.4 million registered grantees were female, highlighting the program’s significant impact on women.
Established in 2008 and formalized by Republic Act 11310 in 2019, the 4Ps is a key component of the Philippines’ strategy to reduce poverty and invest in human capital, providing conditional cash transfers to poor households for up to seven years to enhance children’s health, nutrition, and education.