The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) systematically addresses household beneficiaries’ non-compliance with the conditions of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

At the 4Ps Fastbreak, 4Ps Social Marketing Division (SMD) chief Marie Grace Ponce said the agency carefully considers the cause of the beneficiaries’ non-compliance before their actual removal from the program.

“Maaaring matanggal sa 4Ps kung hindi ka regular na nagko-comply doon sa mga conditions natin pero may proseso po ito ([Beneficiaries may be removed from 4Ps if they do not comply on our conditions but it has a process),” Ponce said during the 11th episode of the online talk show hosted by Information Officer Venus Balito.

The 4Ps Fastbreak is aired every Wednesday over the DSWD’s Facebook page and is produced by the Digital Media Service (DMS) of the Strategic Communications group.

Under Republic Act 11310, also known as the 4Ps Act, a beneficiary found to be non-compliant will first undergo case management.

During this process, the case manager will assist the beneficiary in taking appropriate steps to address and resolve the issue of non-compliance.

The beneficiary will not be immediately delisted but will be given a one-year evaluation period to prove the family’s willingness to comply with the program’s conditions.

This measure, she said, is specifically designed in consideration of beneficiaries whose non-compliance is unintentional and is bound by circumstances beyond their control.

“Kasi minsan may mga cases na nililipat ng paaralan yung bata, hindi naa-update ‘yung school records niya and nata-tag siya as non-compliant. So importante din po na ma-ensure ninyo na updated yung mga record ng inyong anak, lalong-lalo na sa paaralan niya (Because sometimes there are cases where the child is transferred in another school, his school records are not updated, and he is tagged as non- compliant. So, it is also important that you ensure that your child’s records are updated, especially at his school),” Ponce said.

A similar procedure applies to non-compliant households reported to the DSWD’s grievance mechanisms.

The 4Ps is the government’s national poverty reduction strategy and human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfers to poor households for seven years to improve their children’s health, nutrition, and education.

For education, children 3 to 18 years old must be enrolled in school and daycare or pre-school, and elementary and high school students must have an 85 percent class attendance rate in a school year.

Parents of 4Ps beneficiaries must also attend the monthly family development sessions (FDS), which are among the program’s proactive approaches to empowering marginalized communities through education and practical support. (PNA)