Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Erwin Tulfo announced on Monday that finalizing the list of beneficiaries of the ‘Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program’ will take at least two months.
“We are doing a double check, triple check because we read a lot on social media complaining that they were removed but they are not ready yet so what we did is we called a meeting with the 4Ps parent leader to give us an update on who should be who when removed,” Tulfo said.
The DSWD chief stressed that he does not want to remove those who are really poor, so it would be good that they consult the leaders first for basis.
“The leaders said that there are actually removed beneficiaries, so what we will do is they will report to us and compare their list with the actual list of 4Ps, in this way those who need help will not be eliminated,” Tulfo said.
The secretary also said that in Luzon and Visayas, the verification is easy, but in Mindanao — especially in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao — it is difficult to identify beneficiaries, so it will take another two months before the list of 4Ps is finalized and how many will be removed.
The 4Ps is the government’s national poverty reduction strategy and beneficiaries will receive cash subsidies, but the conditions contained in it are necessary.
It includes ensuring that the children go to school, pre and post-natal care for pregnant women, regular check-ups on children age five and under and attendance at monthly Family Development Sessions.
Within 30 days, the DSWD will open its offices nationwide to facilitate the listing of single moms, farmers, fishermen and persons with disabilities to be included as beneficiaries of the 4Ps.