The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) adheres to the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act which calls for rice cash subsidy instead of  distributing actual bags of rice, Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez said on Thursday (December 7).

Asst. Sec. Lopez, who is also DSWD spokesperson, said in an interview with “Saksi Sa Dobol B’ hosted by Rowena Salvacion and Joel Zobel, that the current mode of cash grants to buy rice among the 4Ps households is in accordance with the IRR of Republic Act 11310, the law that institutionalized the 4Ps program.

“Under sa ating 4Ps law, talagang nakalagay doon na ang stipend natin ay cash at ito po ay ibibili ng bigas ng ating mga beneficiaries,” Asst. Sec. Lopez pointed out.

(Under our 4Ps law, it is explicitly stated that our stipend is in cash, which will be used by our beneficiaries.)

The DSWD spokesperson made the statement in reaction to the National Food Authority’s (NFA)  recommendation for the agency to procure and distribute rice instead of the Php600 worth of monthly rice allowance for 4Ps beneficiaries.

Asst. Sec. Lopez explained that the current system using the beneficiary’s cash card is a more practical and efficient means to distribute the rice subsidy, and is more beneficial for the beneficiaries as they will have the choice to purchase rice on their preference.

“Sa halip po na inaasikaso natin ang iba pang mga serbisyo para sa ating mga kababayan, hindi lamang ang 4Ps, makadagdag pa ito sa isipin at makabawas sa efficiency ng ating mga social workers,” the DSWD spokesperson said.

(Instead of focusing on other services for our fellow citizens, not just the 4Ps, this can add to the workload and reduce the efficiency of our social workers.)

“We want to give our beneficiaries iyong ika nga nila, na purchasing power. Choice po nila iyon,” Asst. Sec. Lopez added.

(We want to give our beneficiaries their purchasing power, so it’s their choice.)

Aside from the rice subsidy, 4Ps members receive monthly health and education cash grants.

Asst. Sec. Lopez assured the public, especially the beneficiaries, that the DSWD is ready to distribute sacks of rice to the 4Ps beneficiaries instead of the cash subsidy once the National Advisory Council (NAC) of 4Ps approves a resolution calling for actual rice distribution in lieu of the cash grant.

The NAC is composed of members from different government agencies which include the DSWD, the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), among others.

“Once ito po ay susugan ng NAC, tayo po, sa DSWD  will be bound to follow and implement kung ito ang mapagkakasunduan,” Asst. Sec. Lopez said.

(Once an amendment is approved by the NAC, we at the DSWD will be bound to follow and implement whatever is agreed upon.)

In a separate interview with GMA 7’s ‘Balitanghali’ hosted by Ivan Mayrina and Mariz Umali, Asst. Sec. Lopez said the more than 760,000 4Ps households initially assessed as non-poor based on the results of the Listahanan 3 are still eligible to receive the grants after the re-assessment conducted by the agency.

“Pinag-utos ni DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian na gamitin ang Social Welfare and Development Indicator o SWDI. Ito po iyong parang listahanan natin na with a heart, kung saan chine-check natin ang ating mga kababayan if nag-improve na ang kanilang pamumuhay o above poverty threshold na,” the DSWD spokesperson explained.

(Secretary Rex Gatchalian ordered the use of the Social Welfare and Development Indicator or SWDI. This is like the Listahanan with a heart, where we check on our fellow citizens to see if their lives have improved or if they are already above the poverty threshold.)

SWDI is being used by the Department as a case management tool to determine the progress of the households, by measuring their level of well-being in terms of economic sufficiency and social adequacy.

After the reassessment using the SWDI tool, more than 760,000 4Ps members are still at the survival and subsistence level and they will continue to receive grants from the government.

Over 330,000 re-assessed members are tagged non-poor and are now at the level of self-sufficiency. They are now being processed for their official exit from the program through the ‘Pugay-Tagumpay’ graduation ceremony.

The re-assessment was ordered by Secretary Gatchalian as part of the Department’s effort to improve the implementation of the program which aims to end inter-generational poverty in the country. #