DSWD consulting with 4Ps beneficiaries in cleaning list

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Friday that it has touched base with community leaders to ensure that its plan to delist some 1.3 million households from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) will be based on merit.

"Ang ginawa po natin, nagpatawag po ako ng pulong ng lider po, iyong mga lider po nila – iyong tinatawag na Samahan ng mga 4Ps beneficiaries three days ago. At sa kanila ko kukunin [ang] listahan, kung sino ang mga nakakatayo na sa sarili nilang paa versus sa listahan namin na sinurvey po namin na ito ay graduating na sa 4Ps," DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo said in a public briefing.

"So, para magtugma-tugma, kasi sila mismo ang may direktamenteng contact sa mga beneficiaries every week, or every two weeks. So alam po nila. At nangako sila na bibigyan po ako nila ng listahan kung sino sa mga miyembro nila na puwede nang bitawan or puwede nang grumadweyt para wala hong sisihan at saka tatama po kami," he added.

Earlier, several lawmakers from the minority bloc of the House of Representatives said they will look into the DSWD'S plan to purge its 4Ps list.  They expressed doubts that all of the 1.3 million families were no longer poor amid the pandemic which increased the unemployed.

The 4Ps program provides monthly cash grant to poorest of the poor households, provided they comply with conditions that promote human development goals such attending family development sessions, keeping their children in school, among others.

Tulfo also said the DSWD is working on simplifying the process of getting into the Pantawid program to make it more accessible to poor sectors such as single mothers, indigenous peoples and farmers.

"Itong 4Ps, as much possible, gusto kong makapasok—marami pong mga single moms ang nagtatanong, papaano sila makapasok. mga magsasaka," he said.

Tulfo said that in a recent visit to Palawan, farmers and fisherfolk have complained that they are not in the 4Ps program even if they are only earning P6,000 a month.

"We are looking, in the next few months, to set certain days for the registration of these individuals once we clean up our list. We will be delisting households, so we will be having them replaced," he said.

"These are the individuals who are yet to be surveyed by the National Housing Targeting Office," he added.—LDF, GMA News