4Ps to get P112.8B in the proposed 2024 nat'l budget
A total of P112.8 billion in the 2024 National Expenditure
Program (NEP) will be allocated for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program
(4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which is
targeted to assist 4.4 million eligible households.
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F.
Pangandaman highlighted that the amount is an increase of P10.23 billion
relative to the P102.61 billion budget set in the 2023 General Appropriations
Act (GAA).
Secretary Pangandaman outlined the proposed allocation, which
includes a significant P103.161 billion in various cash grants, such as P750
per month for health subsidies catering to 4.4 million households, educational
subsidies ranging from P300-700 per month for over 7 million students, and P600
per month as rice subsidies for 4.4 million households.
“The recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2024 shows an increase of P3.725
billion when compared with the actual utilization of P109.111 billion in FY
2022. The rise is due to the increased number of students, moving from 1.493
million senior high school (SHS) students in FY 2023 to an anticipated 1.628
million senior high school students in FY 2024, who will be provided with an
educational allowance,” stated Secretary Pangandaman.
In his budget message, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., recognized the
ongoing struggle of many citizens, particularly the most vulnerable, with the
persistent, harsh effects of the pandemic, despite the World Health
Organization lifting the global emergency status for COVID-19 on May 5, 2023.
“To address this, I have approved the NEDA’s recommendation for the social
protection Floor (SPF) framework which aims to institutionalize the existing
social protection programs, such as the universal healthcare and feeding
programs and the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Program, which holds a crucial
role in the government’s comprehensive strategy to alleviate poverty and
promote social development,” the President said.
Human development
program
The 4Ps is a human development program that provides conditional
cash grants to the poorest of the poor families to improve the health,
nutrition, and education of children aged 0-18.
Beneficiaries are identified through the National Household
Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR).
Republic Act (RA) 11315, enacted in April 2019, provides the
adoption of a Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) that generates updated
data necessary for targeting beneficiaries, more comprehensive poverty
analysis, and interventions and monitoring impact over time.
The Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 of the administration of President
Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. aims to achieve economic and social transformation
through job creation and poverty reduction, with emphasis on sustainability and
inclusivity — with no Filipino left behind. (DBM/PIA-Caraga)
