Lists of new, removed 4Ps beneficiaries seen by September or October –DSWD exec

The list showing the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) who would be removed and added may be released by September or October this year, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Thursday.

In an Unang Balita interview, DSWD Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez explained that those who will be delisted from the 4Ps are the following:

• those who no longer have children below 18 years old or are studying,
OTHER STORIES
DSWD chief Tulfo warns loan sharks accepting 4Ps cash cards
DSWD to identify new 4Ps beneficiaries
Palace: DSWD clean-up of 4Ps list seen to free P15 billion
• those who are earning P12,000 and above per month,
• those who have reached the program’s seven-year duration,
• those who are non-compliant or have violated the 4Ps conditions, and
• those who waived their membership

The DSWD is currently validating the list of 1.3 million beneficiaries who are now tagged as “non poor” and are no longer qualified to receive the government’s cash aid.

The vacated slots for the conditional cash transfer program will be given to new beneficiaries or applicants on the waiting list.

“Ang sinasabi ni Secretary Erwin Tulfo, ang maximum nito ay hanggang September or October, kasi nga po gusto nating masiguro, ito ay mandato rin ng ating Pangulo, na linisin ang listahan at ilagay ‘yung mga kwalipikadong benepisyaryo para sa 4Ps,” Lopez said.

“Humihingi lang po ng konting panahon si Secretary Tulfo at mga kawani ng DSWD para magawa natin nang tama itong proseso na ito,” he added.

(According to Secretary Erwin Tulfo, the maximum is until September or October because we want to make sure, based on the mandate of our President, to clean the list and place the qualified 4Ps beneficiaries there. Secretary Tulfo and the DSWD staff are just asking for a little time so that we can do this process correctly.)

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier directed Tulfo to clean the list of beneficiaries amid reports that some of them are not really poor and are just using the cash assistance for vices.

Tulfo earlier said the number of beneficiaries that will be removed from the list may reach up to two million. Aside from 1.3 million households that are now tagged as “non-poor,” the DSWD is also looking at the status of about 600,000 more recipients.

More than P15 billion is expected to be freed up from the government's cash doles program because of this.

Lopez also said the DSWD is not rushing the removal of the 1.3 million beneficiaries as it will take about six months to a year for their delistment to be processed completely.

He added that the validating the list started under the Duterte administration. —KBK, GMA News