Marcos tasks DSWD to continue calibrating 4Ps

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to continue calibrating the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) as well as developing the other government's social protection initiatives.

"Continue calibrating the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and strengthening the government’s social protection initiatives, especially since one of the measures we undertake to address poverty is through the grants that we provide for the health needs of every household and education of our children," Marcos said in his speech at the 72nd founding anniversary of the DSWD.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a poverty alleviation program of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition, and education particularly of children aged 0-14.

Earlier reports said the agency has scaled down the number of beneficiaries to be removed from the 4Ps to around 800,000 from the initially planned 1.3 million.

The President also called on the DSWD to continue the enforcement of the  Unconditional Cash Transfer program in order to provide cash grants to poor households and individuals.

Marcos also directed the agency "to enhance the Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens as a means to augment their daily subsistence and medical needs."

"I encourage the DSWD once again to remain steadfast in your commitment to ensuring that more Filipinos will be provided with quality service in the coming years," Marcos said.

"The work that you do is crucial, and I am assured that with your dedication and hard work, we will continue to make progress in uplifting the lives of our fellow Filipinos," he added.

Marcos, meanwhile, acknowledged the DSWD's efforts in reducing poverty and hunger as well as achieving an upper-middle income status by 2025.

"These same efforts and sacrifices are driven by two things: your faithfulness to service, and a true, genuine love for the Filipino people. Most important qualities that we need in the social programs of our government," the Chief Executive said.

"I know this because I have witnessed you working long hours, making many sacrifices, even risking life and limb to give our people the service that they need and that they deserve, especially to the vulnerable and the disadvantaged," he added. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News