ROXAS CITY, Capiz (PIA) — A total of 34,445 families in the province of Capiz are continuously receiving assistance from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The 34,445 households (HHs) are registered and validated active beneficiaries of the program as of September 2, 2024, which represent 89.40 percent of the total target for 2024.
DSWD Social Welfare Officer IV-Provincial Link Mary Grace Solinap, during the third quarter meeting of the Capiz Provincial Convergence Committee (PCC), said that before December of 2024, 2,548 HHs were eligible for graduation due to their improved level of well-being.
She also noted that the well-being of the active 4Ps HHs in the province has improved based on the initial result of the June to October 2024 Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI).
“As of October 2, I am happy to say nga wala na kita sang level 1. So meaning to say good to go and nagtalab man ang aton nga interventions with the help of our partners nga ma amat-amat naton nga ma reach ang goal sang aton Presidente nga ma lessen na ang kapigaduhon,” Solinap added.
(As of October 2, I am happy to say that we no longer have (4Ps HHs) at level 1. This means we are good to go, and our interventions, along with the help of our partners, are gradually reaching the goal of our President to lessen poverty.)
The SWDI assessment is used to determine the developmental needs of the beneficiaries as well as their level of well-being, and to plan for appropriate interventions toward a successful program exit under the Memorandum Circular 19 series of 2023 of the DSWD.
Based on a set of indicators of economic sufficiency and social adequacy, households are categorized under three levels: level 1 – survival or HHs that are considered the poorest, level 2 – subsistence or HHs who have minimal income and barely meet the basic living necessities, and level 3 – self-sufficiency or HHs with enough income and resources in meeting the demands of all household members.
Moreover, various government agencies provided program, project, activities (PPAs) to 8,960 4Ps beneficiaries in the province.
Other forms of assistance from various agencies include: Department of Agriculture (DA) skills training and livelihood assistance to 16 4Ps HHs; the Department of Education (DepEd) hired 870 members of 4Ps; the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) provided livelihood programs to 1,028 parents of child laborers and 102 exited beneficiaries; the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) conducted community empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) program to 104 beneficiaries.
Moreover, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has helped 1,671 beneficiaries through training, consultancy services, and access to finance; while the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has granted scholarships, community-based livelihood programs, training, and rice extension services program (RESP) to 3,488 beneficiaries; and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has granted 1,681 tertiary education subsidy to the beneficiaries.
Republic Act No. 11310 defines 4Ps as the national poverty reduction strategy and a human capital investment program of the government that assists poor HHs for a maximum of seven years to improve the health, education, and nutrition aspects of their lives. (AGP/PLF/PIA Capiz)
