Beneficiaries who will be delisted from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, also known as 4Ps, will neither be charged nor held criminally liable, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Erwin Tulfo.
In a Laging Handa public briefing on Thursday, Tulfo said it would be unfair to charge these beneficiaries who are still receiving the assistance despite having graduated from the program, since they are still on the list anyway.
“Hindi naman ho natin pupuwede hong kasuhan sila, meaning to say umangat na po ‘yung kanilang buhay — either nakakuha na ng trabaho both parents or ‘yung asawa, si mister o si misis or mayroon na silang konting pinagkakakitaan (We cannot charge them, meaning to say, their lives have improved, either both parents were able to find jobs, or the husband or wife is now earning),” Tulfo said.
He explained that those who have graduated from being poor means that their lives have somewhat improved, and that their children are now in college and studying, and may already be considered “non-poor” will now be delisted from the 4Ps program.
Tulfo explained that the DSWD will submit a new list to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and advise Malacañang on this.
He said that the delisting of beneficiaries from the program is still a long process that may take weeks.
However, he assured those who will be delisted from the 4Ps program that they will be properly informed.
“We will inform you; we will say na, “Dear Mr. Aljo Bendijo, ikaw ho ay nailagay na sa non-poor section so asahan ninyo na ho next month or two months from now aalisin na po kayo. Wala na po kayong matatanggap na ‘ika nga 4Ps na ayuda mula sa pamahalaan.” Eh a-advice-san naman ho sila, sir (you are now included in the non-poor section so expect that you will be removed from the program in the next one to two months. You will no longer receive 4Ps assistance from the government. We will advise them),” Tulfo said.
On Tuesday, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles announced that the DSWD is validating the list of 1.3 million 4Ps beneficiaries nationwide who are no longer considered “poor,” as reported by Tulfo to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during their third Cabinet meeting in Malacañang.
Cruz-Angeles said the 1.3 million people formed part of the total 4.4 million beneficiaries of the program.
Meanwhile, Tulfo said that the DSWD still has about 15 million households on their waiting list that are still considered “poor” and need government assistance.
“Ayon po sa ‘Listahanan’ namin na 15 million household po ang mahihirap at kailangan ng ayuda. Aalisin ho natin iyong 1.3 [million], kailangan may ipapalit po tayo doon base po doon sa mga nasa waiting list (According to our ‘Listahanan,’ 15 million households are still poor and need assistance. We will delist 1.3 million, and we should immediately replace them based on those in the waiting list),” Tulfo said. (PNA)