MANILA – The government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) has incurred a budget deficit of P9 billion following a reduction in its budget by P13 billion, attributed to Senator Imee Marcos.
Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum, 4Ps party-list Representative JC Abalos emphasized that this budget cut has significantly impacted the program’s beneficiaries, resulting in delays in the disbursement of their cash grants.
Abalos highlighted that the budget cut also led to delays in assessing indigent families eligible for enrollment in the 4Ps program. He expressed readiness to sponsor a legislative measure to initiate an investigation into this matter.
Currently, there are 4.4 million families enrolled in the program.
Meanwhile, Marcos refuted the “malicious” accusation leveled against her by Bongalon, stating that she did not lead the P13-billion budget cut in the 4Ps budget in 2023. She clarified that she realigned P8 billion from the 4Ps to swiftly implementable projects by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), such as the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).
Marcos explained that this decision was based on the DSWD’s acknowledgment that only 45 percent of the 4Ps budget had been utilized that year. Additionally, she mentioned that another P5 billion reduction from the AICS budget was made by the bicameral conference committee, not by her.
Earlier, House Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairman Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon stated that nearly 900,000 households did not receive their cash grants last year due to the budget cuts.
“If we do the math, P13 billion divided by P15,000 per household per year means 867,000 families or 4.3 million poor Filipinos without cash assistance under the 4Ps program of the DSWD last year,” Bongalon added.
DSWD is currently exploring the potential adjustment of cash grants provided to 4Ps beneficiaries to mitigate the impact of economic shocks like inflation and other unforeseen events.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian stated that they are in the process of evaluating the benefits in collaboration with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
