DSWD: Budget for 4Ps second tranche has been approved

The budget for the second tranche of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps has been approved, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Thursday.

“As of yesterday, I was informed by our finance management service na mukhang aprubado na rin ang second tranche,” DSWD Erwin Tulfo said in a news briefing.

(As of yesterday, I was informed by our finance management service that the second tranche seems to have been approved.)

“So, another two months na naman po yata ang i-release ng DBM para po diyan sa TCT [Targeted Cash Transfer] na naipangako ni dating Pangulong Duterte,” he added.

(So, I think the DBM will release another two months for the TCT promised by former President Duterte.)

Some 1.3 million ineligible beneficiaries will be removed from the 4Ps and replaced by other indigent families on the waitlist.

The department said around 15 million Filipinos can be considered poor but the budget for now is only for 4.4 million.

In Ivan Mayrina’s report on “24 Oras,” 4Ps beneficiary Lilian Gopez said she is in favor of delisting unqualified families from the list of beneficiaries, and added that the government assistance has helped poor families like hers to sustain their everyday needs.

“Sobrang napakalaking bagay para sa mga 4Ps na binigay na P1,000 kasi pandagdag pagkain at gastusin. Kapag binigay po nang isang bagsakan, makapagsimula po kami ng pagtitinda,” she said.

(It's a very big thing for the 4Ps who were given P1,000 because we can use it for our food and other expenses. When we received the money, we were able to have some capital to sell things.)

Meanwhile, Tulfo said they are planning to digitize the distribution of cash assistance.

“Hindi na talaga mano-mano na cash ang ibibigay natin kundi ang gagawin natin ay QR-codes na lang. Ipapadala namin sa cellphone ang QR codes,” he said.

(We will not really give cash personally but what we will do is just QR codes. We will send the QR-codes to their cellphones.)

“Ngayon kung medyo low-tech ang cellphone mo, reference number. Para pupunta ka na lang sa tindahan at bibigyan ka nila ng cash kapag na-scan na ang QR-code or reference number,” he added.

(Now if your cellphone is low-tech, we will send a reference number. So, you just have to go to a nearby store and they will give you cash when the QR code or reference number is scanned.) — BM, GMA News