TACLOBAN CITY – Three hundred families in this city have officially “graduated” from the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), marking a milestone in their journey from poverty to self-sufficiency.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) honored the families in a Pugay Tagumpay ceremony, which recognized their successful completion of the program after years of receiving conditional cash grants along with livelihood and skills development interventions.
Among the graduates were the families of Jenneth Sabulao of Barangay 48-A and Kimberly Monterozo of Barangay 31, who both credited 4Ps for transforming their lives.
Monterozo, a former child-grantee, recently passed the licensure examination for teachers after finishing college with the help of the program. “This program has transformed not only my life but also my entire family, giving us a chance to prioritize education and health without worrying too much about finances,” she said. Four of her nine family members are now employed, significantly improving their household income.
For Sabulao, the program provided not only financial assistance for her children’s schooling but also skills training that helped her and her husband become more resilient parents. Nearly a decade after joining 4Ps, she now works as a regular employee at the Department of Education Tacloban City Division. “Attending family development sessions helped us believe in ourselves, learn to socialize, and gain knowledge in disaster preparedness, financial management, health, and leadership skills,” she said.
Though the 300 families are now formally exiting the program, the DSWD emphasized that government support will continue. The agency has partnered with institutions such as the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Department of Agriculture (DA), and private companies to provide sustainable livelihood opportunities and after-care interventions.
“We need sustainability even after you have exited from the program. The government will continue to assist you through the support of local chief executives,” said 4Ps National Program Manager Gemma Gabuya during the ceremony.
As part of the transition, DSWD turned over the case folders of the exited beneficiaries to the Tacloban City government through its City Social Welfare and Development Office for continued monitoring.
Launched in 2008 and institutionalized in 2019 through Republic Act No. 11310, 4Ps is the country’s flagship poverty reduction strategy, providing conditional cash transfers for up to seven years to improve the health, nutrition, and education of children in poor households.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
