4Ps beneficiaries no longer qualified for DSWD's education aid —Sec. Tulfo

Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) are no longer eligible to receive the educational assistance for indigent students from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Secretary Erwin Tulfo said Sunday. 

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Tulfo said that an Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) officer told him that 4Ps beneficiaries already receive educational aid from the DSWD, and therefore, they should no longer be included in those given cash assistance until September 24.

“‘Yung 4Ps is educational na po ‘yan eh. Hindi para sa pamilya. ‘Yan ay para sa bata. Kaya nga may P600, P700, P800 na mga binibigay monthly para sa edukasyon ng mga bata. Nasa polisiya ‘yan na tumatanggap na sila ng educational assistance. Dapat hindi na sila tumatanggap ng educational assistance mula sa pamahalaan,” he said.

(The 4Ps is already for educational purpose. It's not for the family. It's for the children. That's why there are P600, P700, P800 that are given monthly for their education. It is in the policy that they are already receiving educational assistance. They should no longer receive another educational assistance from the government.)

This is, however, in contrast to what Tulfo said earlier that 4Ps beneficiaries are also qualified to receive the financial assistance, in light of the opening of classes on August 22.

Due to this, Tulfo apologized to the 4Ps, clarifying that they are not eligible for the AICS program.

“Bagama’t nasabi ko na puwede, siguro sa pagmamadali ko noong tinatanong ako ng reporter, sinabi ko na puwede ang 4Ps. Pero noong unang labas ko sa social media sa DSWD announcement, walang 4Ps doon eh,” he said.

(Maybe I was just in a hurry when the reporter was asking me. I said that the 4Ps are included. But based on the first DSWD announcement about that, 4Ps are not included.)

Long lines of students and parents, or guardians were seen outside DSWD offices at the start of the distribution of the education assistance on Saturday, August 20.

Due to this, the DSWD has tapped the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the distribution of education assistance through the local government units, after a number of beneficiary students and parents failed to make it to the cutoff on Saturday due to the huge crowds. —KG, GMA News