The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has clarified that the extension of the maximum seven-year limit in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) only applies to families classified under Level 1 (Survival) and Level 2 (Subsistence).

“The extension will apply only to Level 1 and Level 2. Mayroon pa rin pong mga (There are still) measures and mechanisms, like there should be eligible monitored children, and they should comply with the conditionalities under the law,” Assistant Secretary Elaine Fallarcuna of the DSWD’s Conditional Cash Transfer Group (CCTG) during a media forum on Thursday.

With the extension, she said qualified households under Levels 1 and 2 may continue to receive 4Ps assistance beyond the previous seven-year period, subject to existing program rules and assessment.

“Wala pong mababago sa (There are no changes in the) system. The beneficiaries should still comply with the conditionalities under the law, on health, education, and attendance to the Family Development Sessions (FDS). Same pa rin po yung conditionalities na kailangan nilang i-comply (They still have to comply with the same conditionalities), and even the eligibility requirements,” Fallarcuna told reporters.

Based on the latest Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI) results, a total of 1,381,625 families are qualified for the extension. Of this number, 1,744 families are Level 1 while 1,379,881 are Level 2 families.

Fallarcuna stressed that the extension is not automatic and beneficiaries will be assessed annually using the enhanced SWDI tool.

“We would like to emphasize that the extension is not automatic at mayroon pong reassessment ito (and there is a reassessment), every year. We use the Social Welfare and Development Indicator tool as one of our cores, and DSWD’s case management tools to measure the families’ economic sufficiency and social adequacy. It is conducted annually. Isa rin yun sa (It is also one of the) core of Executive Order No. 120. Those families who will be extended by virtue of the EO will be reassessed annually,” the DSWD-CCTG official said.

“For example, if a family will be in Level 3 [Self-Sufficient] already next year, the path of that family will be a ‘transition path’ and not on the extension path,” she added.

When asked how long a beneficiary can stay in the program, the CCTG official said 4Ps beneficiaries will be eligible to exit once they reach Level 3 and/or no longer have monitored children in the family.

“It is not based on the number [of years]. It is based on the reassessment to be conducted every year. Ibig sabihin, hindi sya indefinite. Ibig sabihin, kung Level 2 ako ngayon, nag-Level 3 ako (That means it is not indefinite. It means if I am Level 2 now, I will be Level 3) next year, I will exit from the program already,” Fallarcuna said.

Launched in 2008 and institutionalized by Republic Act (RA) 11310 in 2019, the 4Ps is the national poverty reduction strategy and human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfers to poor households for a maximum period of seven years to improve their children’s health, nutrition, and education. (PNA)