ABSTRACT

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)

Household Beneficiaries in Malilipot

Ignacio B. Blanquisa, Jr.1 Isidra M. Berdin2

The primary aim of this research is to highlight the Pantawid Pamilyang

Pilipino Program (4Ps) household beneficiaries, equally describing the personal
issues in terms of age, civil status, education, health, number of household
beneficiaries, and number of years of stay in the barangay. There were 56
household beneficiaries representing the respondents of the study. The
beneficiaries ranged from 30 to 80, many of them from San Isidro Iraya since
birth. The number of households is seven (two parents and five children).
There was one mother that finished college while many of the mothers-
housekeepers finished grade and high school while the fathers are construction
workers. Seven of the mothers were single-parent and mostly early widows.
Forty-nine households have married parents. The study used a qualitative
design using a questionnaire of open-ended questions.

The findings revealed that households earned less than P12,000 monthly
receiving, 4Ps allowances P5,200 gross quarterly with deductions attributed to
absences of the children in school. The form of discipline imposed by the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The high school
children beneficiaries are given an allowance for schooling higher than the
allowance for elementary grade children. For high school, allowance is P1,000
every quarterly while elementary is P500 quarterly. The strengths and
weaknesses of the 4Ps program include gratitude expressed by household
beneficiaries to the government for launching the program.

The families were helped a lot in terms of education and health concerns. The
household beneficiaries are happy and hopeful that the 4Ps be a lasting
program of the government for them. The strengths of the program in terms of
income augmentation, health and education of children, developing the values
of work, obedience, respect to members of the community, unity, love for
work, and education for the entire household. Weakness focused on the
inadequacy of the amount for the other needs of the household beneficiaries.
Hence, proposed recommended measures to improve the 4Ps implementation.

Keywords: 4Ps program, beneficiaries, education, health, profile

1
Professor, San Jose Community College, Datag, San Jose, Malilipot, Albay, Philippines.
Email: [email protected]
2
Professor, Bicol College Graduate School, Daraga, Albay, Philippines; and is the corresponding author.
Email: [email protected]

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Introduction
Poverty is a worldwide social problem. Many countries in the world are
affected by this type of social problem due to varied causes. However, the heads
of the government of these countries affected by this kind of problem are trying
their best to be able to overcome poverty as a social problem. The head of state
of the government has gathered to adopt the United Nations Declaration for the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that focus on eradication of extreme
poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender
equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality, improving maternal
health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental
sustainability, and develop a global partnership for development (Millennium
Development Goals, 2022). Several countries in the world have employed the
conditional cash transfers (CCTs) program as a poverty alleviation policy
instrument. The CCT has improved the lives of poor people. Cash transfers
generally have been well targeted to poor households, have raised consumption
levels, and have reduced poverty.

The rationale for conditioning transfers on the use of specific health and
education services by program beneficiaries that make preconditions specifically
investing in the human capital (Fishein and Schady, 2009). According to Diagne
(2006), education and health are the biggest investments in any individual or
society. The more educated and healthy person has access to better jobs and
earns a higher income than one who is less educated or unhealthy. Hence,
education and health are central components of human capital development.
Bassett (2008) analyzed the conditional cash transfers programs (CCTs) which
grant cash to poor families provided they make specified investments in the
human capital of their children have been championed as an effective
intervention for social protection. However, some conditional cash transfers
programs (CCTs) include requirements (called conditionalities) related to health
and nutrition. Similarly, Adato & Hoddinott (2000) noted that the conditional cash
transfers (CCT) programs offer immediate support through cash transfer and a
long-run poverty reduction policy instrument through improvements in the poor
human capital.

In the Philippines, poverty is a complex and multi-faceted problem for

everyone to address. Likewise, poverty is not always visible because decent
clothes are not the sole indicators to measure poverty. Former DSWD Secretary
Corazon “Dinky” Soliman underscored that “look can be deceiving” and the
possession of material things, such as nice clothes or a pair of shoes does not

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indicate that a person is well-off. Most of them cannot afford a meal three times
a day, an education, and even health check-ups. The Pantawid Pamilyang
Pilipino Program (4Ps) is a human development program and the poverty
alleviation strategy of the national government that provides conditional cash
transfers (CCT) grants to extremely poor families in order to improve their
health nutrition and education, especially the children aged 0-18.

The said program has two objectives: (1) social assistance, which aims to
grant cash assistance to the poor to address their immediate needs, and (2)
social development, which aims to break the intergenerational poverty cycle
through investments in human capital. According to Yap (2019), assisted the
families who are in dire need of help to solve the intergenerational cycle of
poverty. This is the reason why Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) was
born. Article 2, Section 9, Declaration of Principles and State Policies which
states that:

“The constitution mandates that the state shall promote a just and
dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence
of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that
provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising
standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all.”

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2007 enacted into law the Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), which was then continuously implemented by
President Benigno Aquino III, the main policy instrument to reduce poverty in
the country. This is a kind of conditional cash transfer (CCT) program pioneered
in Latin America and African countries. The CCT program espouses the idea that
improving health and education can reduce poverty at all levels, be it in the
short term or long term. The unique approach of the CCT programs is the
assistance of one which is the cash transfer given to the beneficiaries that entail
conditionalities or co-responsibilities that the beneficiaries must fulfill.

The success of the CCT program in achieving its goals and objectives can
be attributed to the program design and operation. Based on the 2021 report by
the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the poverty incidence among the
population increased to 23.7 percent during the first half of 2021 from 21.1
percent in the same period of 2018. This translates to 3.9 million more Filipinos
living in poverty (Chua, 2021). To address the problem, the Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD) implemented a conditional cash transfer
program known as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) inspired by the
success of similar programs in Latin American countries, such as families in

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Brazil, Columbia, and Mexico. The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) as
the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program of the Philippines may not share the
same success of the conditional cash transfers (CCTs) programs in the different
countries in the world particularly in Latin America and Africa which show that
the implementation arrangements of the program are crucial in their
effectiveness.

In the Philippines, the 4Ps design shows the collaboration of an

interagency committee manifested in its strategies. Drawing from the
experiences of other conditional cash transfers (CCTs) programs, it is important
to consider the effect of the institutional setting of the Pantawid Pamilyang
Pilipino Program with its program implementation. Hence, this study aimed to
evaluate the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)
household beneficiaries in the municipality of Malilipot, Albay, and see how the
institutional setting of the program affects its implementation.

The study has the following objectives: (1) to determine the profile of the
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) household in terms of personal
issues, education and health, and economic status; (2) to determine the strengths
and weaknesses of the 4Ps and propose measures for the enhancement of the
4Ps beneficiaries. Specifically, the study determined the status and values of the
4Ps program in the municipality of Malilipot, Albay, its strengths and
weaknesses, and the recommended measures for the implementation.

The respondents of the study included the twenty percent (20%) Pantawid
household beneficiaries of the 4Ps in barangay San Isidro Iraya, Malilipot, Albay,
and the local government officials (LGU) officials involved in the implementation
of the program. The 4Ps household beneficiaries comprise twenty percent (29%)
of the total 269 4Ps beneficiaries in barangay San Isidro Iraya, Malilipot, Albay.
There were fifty-six (56) household beneficiaries. The barangay officials of San
Isidro Iraya and other LGU officials in the municipality of Malilipot were
excluded as respondents of the study.

The research was deemed significant to several groups of individuals who

are directly connected with the 4Ps such as household beneficiaries, Department
of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH),
Department of Education (DepEd), National Poverty Commission (NAPC),
policymakers, the general public, household beneficiaries, researchers, and
future researchers.

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Methodology
The study made use of the qualitative design of research which used a
questionnaire and interview for gathering data from the respondents of the
study. The questionnaire used open-ended questions. The responses were
analyzed and only frequency count was used in computing and inferencing from
the data. The researchers conducted interviews with the household respondents.
During the retrieval of the questionnaire and the officials of the 4Ps program in
the municipality of Malilipot were also interviewed. The questionnaire was
divided into three parts: Part I, Profile of household beneficiaries in terms of
personal, education and health, and economic status; Part II, Strengths and
weaknesses along with the implementation of the 4Ps in the barangay and the
benefits derived from the program by the respondents; and Part III, Measures
recommended by the respondents for the betterment of the program. The
questionnaire is presented.

The researchers sought permission from the Regional Director of the

Department of Social and Development (DSWD), Municipal Mayor, and Officers
of the Barangay of San Isidro Iraya to conduct the study. San Isidro Iraya is a
barangay in the municipality of Malilipot, Albay. Its population as determined by
the 2015 census was 4,666. This represents 12.40% of the total population of
Malilipot. The population is based on individual counting, the number of
households as a group. There are 269 household beneficiaries of 4Ps in
barangay San Isidro Iraya. Since this number is quite large for the sampling, the
researchers decided to get the 20% only of the 269 household beneficiaries. The
20% is equivalent to 56, and they were chosen through a random sampling
method. Every household was interviewed and was given a questionnaire to be
accomplished by the head of each household. In the absence of the head, any
member that is knowledgeable from the household accomplished the
questionnaire. However, during the retrieval of the questionnaire, the household
needs were interviewed by the researchers.

Results and Discussion

The researchers had sought data to the objectives of the study. These
data are presented, analyzed, and interpreted by the researchers based on the
data gathered. On the profile of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)
household, beneficiaries along with personal, health and education, economic
status, the researcher present the following results: Based on the number of
house beneficiaries, number of years of stay in the locale of the study, age of
the household beneficiaries, civil status of the parents and the children, make up

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the profile of the respondents along with personal were presented. There were
fifty-six household respondents aged 26 to 80 for the parents and 4 to 35 years
for the children. The fifty-six household respondents are grouped into two.

The first group is composed of household beneficiaries with a single

parent as the head. There are seven of them. The fathers in these households
were the ones deceased, and the ones left are the mothers who are running the
households and became the heads of the seven households. Only two of the
seven single parents have two children, and the five have one each. The ages of
single parents in seven household beneficiaries ranged from 40 to 73 years. Five
of the single parents are elementary graduates, one is at the college level, and
the other one is a high school graduate. These seven household beneficiaries
stayed in barangay San Isidro Iraya in Malilipot since birth. The seven are
among the fifty-six household beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino
Program (4Ps).

The second group of household respondents has parents that are married.
Their families qualified to be household beneficiaries of 4Ps. They are forty-
nine (49) households. Every couple is hoping that someday they will have
children that will be an asset to the community where they are living. These 49
couples are aged in the bracket of 26 to 80 years; the thirty-four (34) couples
have been staying in Barangay San Isidro Iraya since birth, while fifteen (15) of
them are living in Barangay San Isidro Iraya for 13 to 21 years. They are
transient in the barangay of Malilipot. The children of those 49 households are
still young aged 4 to 25 years. The income is not enough to support the needs of
the family, particularly the education of their children.

The economic status for household beneficiaries is presented through the

work and monthly income of every household and the quarterly allotment from
4Ps. The ones in the bracket that range from P3,000 to P12,000 for monthly
income have fathers that are construction workers. The one with a P10,000
monthly income is a widow; she is a single parent. Although she is jobless, it
could be gleaned from the result of the interview that she is being helped by
relatives. On the other hand, the one with P5,000 income every month cannot
afford to sustain the education of the children for both parents are jobless. Now,
they are dependent on the allotment of 4Ps for them. All of the household
beneficiaries of 4Ps are thankful to the government for its program. The
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is a big help to them for these
households beneficiaries belong to the poorest of the poor, they are below the

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poverty threshold P10,000 that are really hard up in supporting the studies of
their children, their health maintenance including the foods they eat.

The government has ways of checking up the attendance of the children of

4Ps beneficiaries in school and their health check-ups. Through the
coordinators of the 4Ps in barangay San Isidro Iraya, the attendance of the
children in school is checked, that if the children have absences, their allotment
for education is deducted some amounts, and if the household beneficiaries are
found out to have violations of 4Ps policies, another deduction is done to their
4Ps allotment, hence, values are developed in them as beneficiaries of the
government’s program. The households 500 for education have children enrolled
in elementary grades, while those receiving 1,000 have children in high school
and college. The allotment is given to them every after a quarter; so, therefore,
it will come out that the monthly allowance of the household beneficiaries is
P1,733.33 every quarter without deductions.

Moreover, the household beneficiaries are careful to commit violations

like being absent in school and fail to attend the Family Development Session
(FDS) for failure to comply with the requirements of the program, there are
deductions done to their allowance. Through Family Development Session (FDS),
the households are enlightened on a) human rights of the family; b) rendering
community service; and c) gardening in the backyard of the households houses
for planting vegetables. These are values learned and developed among the
beneficiaries of 4Ps. Almost all of the household beneficiaries of 4Ps are highly
acknowledging the government for initiating the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino
Program (4Ps) for the poorest families.

Here are a number of strengths of the 4Ps according to the majority of the
household beneficiaries. They gave the same strengths of the program and they
are thankful to the Philippine Government for implementing this program in the
Philippines that is valued by many Filipinos particularly the beneficiaries of the
4Ps. They say: 1) 4Ps is a great help to the families in terms of health and
education of their children; 2) the 4Ps is a big help to the poorest of the poor
families; 3) with 4Ps, the father of the household beneficiary was able to pay for
his operation; 4) the 4Ps is a big help especially if the father does not have a
stable job and the children are still very young; 5) the beneficiaries are happy
for this government program and thankful to this endeavor; 6) the 4Ps is a
beautiful endeavor of the government that is a great help to poor families; 7) the
4Ps gives happiness to the beneficiaries; 8) the 4Ps is a big help for the

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education of the children of the poorest to the poor; 9) the program is an
additional income to poorest families in sustaining this food and education of the
family members. One household beneficiary said his kitchen was repaired
because of the 4Ps allowance, and 10) values are developed by the beneficiaries
through 4Ps like the love of work, maintaining cleanliness in and outside the
house/home, obedient in following rules, regulations, and requirements of
authorities. On the other hand, the limited amount received by household
beneficiaries at the end of a quarter cannot support all the needs of the family.
This is the only weakness of the program, they say. Hence, the beneficiaries
request a bigger allotment from the government.

For the 4Ps to continue, some measures are prepared by the researchers.
These are: 1) for the officials of the government in charge of the 4Ps in
barangay San Pedro Iraya, the researchers requests the conduct of trainings,
seminar on family planning, cleanliness campaign, budgeting of income, and
values education be continued; 2) require household beneficiaries to attend
regularly to Family Development Session (FDS) for their enlightenment on
human rights for family members; rendering community services and gardening
at the backyard of the house and more importantly guarding the house against
bad elements in the barangay; 3) maintaining the check-up conducted by the
coordinators of 4Ps in the barangay; 4) comply with the requirements /
activities conducted by the coordinators of 4Ps in the barangay; 5) keep the
cleanliness campaign in the barangay and the planting of vegetables in the
garden of the backyard of the house; 6) be obedient to the policies of 4Ps; 7) be
regular in attendance to FDS meetings; 8) continue the education allowance for
the beneficiaries; 9) conduct a check-up of the ATM card for it is made
collateral for loans of some household; and 10) check on the fathers that are
using the 4Ps allowance for buying hard liquor and gambling.

Conclusion
The proposed measures are given consideration for a happier and better
life for the household beneficiaries. The beneficiaries have developed the values
of working, obedience, and respect for others; their unity and love for work
developed. Hence, future researchers, conduct more research on 4Ps its
benefits to the poor, and a means of elevating the economic education and social
status of the poor and the poorest in the Philippines.

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