SONA 2025: Marcos orders inclusion of homeless in 4Ps

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his State of the Nation Address (SONA 2025) on Monday directed the inclusion of homeless individuals in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and other programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 

“Batid nating lahat ang mga kababayan natin na namumuhay sa lansangan. Sila ang pinaka-nangangailangan ng tulong ng pamahalaan,” Marcos said during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA). 

(We think of our fellow countrymen who are living in the streets. They are the ones in most need of help.)

“Sa ating mga LGU (local government units), hanapin ninyong lahat at ipasok silang lahat sa 4Ps at sa iba pang mga programa ng DSWD. Para naman maitaguyod natin sila at magsimula na ang kanilang paglakbay tungo sa pag-unlad ng kanilang buhay,” he added.

(To our LGUs, look for them and include them in the 4Ps and other programs of the DSWD. So, we can help them back on their feet and they can start their journey in improving their lives.)

He said that under his administration, more than 5 million families were beneficiaries of the conditional cash grant of the 4Ps.

The 4Ps serves as a national poverty reduction strategy and a human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfers to poor households for a maximum period of seven years to improve the health, nutrition, and education of children aged 0 to 18.

According to Marcos, the lives of 500,000 families have improved and they have graduated from the program.

Aside from this, Marcos said that the government is seeking to amend the 4Ps law.

He also said that children of 4Ps beneficiaries who will soon be college students will be prioritized in the next three years.

“Itong susunod na tatlong taon, bibigyan natin ng prioridad ang mga anak ninyong tutungtong sa kolehiyo. Kitang-kita natin ang bunga ng mga programang ito,” he said.

(These next three years, we will prioritize your children who are entering college. We clearly see the results of these programs.) —VAL/VBL, GMA Integrated News