Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act

Republic Act No. 11310

Summary of Republic Act No. 11310 - Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act

Declaration of Policies (Section 2):
• Uplift citizens and marginalized sectors from poverty through adequate social services, full employment, and improved quality of life.
• Foster social justice by protecting human dignity, reducing inequalities, and equitably diffusing wealth and political power.
• Break the intergenerational cycle of poverty through investment in human capital and improved delivery of basic services to the poor, particularly education, health, nutrition, and early childhood care.
• Promote gender equality, women and children's rights, universal primary education, reduced child mortality and malnutrition, and improved maternal health.

Definition of Terms (Section 3):
• Defines key terms such as authorized government depository banks, case management, compliance verification, conditional cash grant, grantee, grievance redress system, health facility, institutionalization, poor, preventive health check-up, qualified household-beneficiaries, responsible person, standardized targeting system, and sustainable livelihood program.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) (Section 4):
• A national poverty reduction strategy and human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfer to poor households for a maximum period of seven (7) years, to improve health, nutrition, and education.

Selection of Qualified Household-Beneficiaries (Section 5):
• The DSWD shall select qualified household-beneficiaries using a standardized targeting system on a nationwide basis and conduct regular revalidation every three (3) years.

Eligible Beneficiaries (Section 6):
• Farmers, fisherfolks, homeless families, indigenous peoples, informal settler sector, and those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas shall be automatically included in the targeting system.
• To be eligible, households must: (a) be classified as poor or near-poor, (b) have members aged 0-18 years old or pregnant, and (c) be willing to comply with conditions.

Conditional Cash Transfer to Beneficiaries (Section 7):
• Cash transfer grant per child enrolled in day care and elementary: not lower than ₱300 per month for up to 10 months per year.
• Cash transfer grant per child enrolled in junior high school: not lower than ₱500 per month for up to 10 months per year.
• Cash transfer grant per child enrolled in senior high school: not lower than ₱700 per month for up to 10 months per year.
• Health and nutrition grant: not lower than ₱750 per month for up to 12 months per year.

Coverage in the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) (Section 8):
• All 4Ps beneficiaries shall automatically be covered in the NHIP, funded by revenue from the Sin Tax Reform Act of 2012.

Mode of Cash Transfer (Section 9):
• The DSWD shall provide beneficiaries with direct and secured access to cash grants through authorized government depository banks or other accredited institutions.

Periodic Assessment (Section 10):
• The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) shall conduct an impact assessment every three (3) years to evaluate the program's effectiveness, beneficiary list veracity, and implementation.
• The cash grant amounts shall be adjusted every six (6) years based on the consumer price index.

Conditions for Entitlement (Section 11):
• Qualified household-beneficiaries must comply with conditions such as availing prenatal and postnatal care, preventive health and nutrition services for children, deworming, attending day care or school, and attending family development sessions.

Noncompliance with Conditions (Section 12):
• Noncompliance will result in written notification, termination of cash grants, case management process, and potential removal from the program after one (1) year of persistent noncompliance.

Livelihood Interventions (Section 13):
• Qualified household-beneficiaries shall be given priority in availing the DSWD's Sustainable Livelihood Program or other similar programs and employment facilitation services.

Lead Agency (Section 14):
• The DSWD shall serve as the central planning, coordinating, implementing, and monitoring body of the program, with specific functions outlined.

Advisory Council (Section 15):
• An Advisory Council shall be created at the regional and national levels, with representatives from various government agencies and non-governmental organizations, to promote coordination, recommend measures and policies, ensure funding for livelihood and employment programs, promulgate a grievance redress system, and review monitoring reports.

Independent Monitoring Committee (Section 16):
• An Independent Monitoring Committee shall be created at the regional and national levels, composed of private sector and civil society organization representatives, to monitor the program implementation and provide feedback.

Regular Monitoring (Section 17):
• The DSWD shall monitor the program implementation and report its status at least once every three (3) years to Congress.

Report of the Program (Section 18):
• The DSWD shall annually publish a full report of the 4Ps, including financial disclosures, number of households included, and recommendations to enhance the program.

Convergence of Programs and Services (Section 19):
• Government agencies implementing multi-stakeholder programs and services for the poor shall ensure convergence and complementarity with the 4Ps, focusing on operational efficiency and inter-agency partnership.

Program Transparency (Section 20):
• The DSWD shall regularly and timely post and update financial disclosures and information about beneficiaries on its website.

Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (Section 21):
• A Congressional Oversight Committee shall be constituted to review the implementation of the Act, determine weaknesses, and recommend remedial legislation or executive measures.
• The Committee shall conduct a sunset review within three (3) years to evaluate the impact, accomplishments, and performance of implementing agencies.

Appropriations (Section 22):
• The necessary amount to carry out the provisions of the Act shall be charged against the General Appropriations Act.

Implementing Rules and Regulations (Section 23):
• The DSWD Secretary shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations within six (6) months from the effectivity of the Act.

Penalties (Section 24):
• Penalties for inserting false information or diverting funds from qualified household-beneficiaries include imprisonment of not less than one (1) month but not more than one (1) year, or a fine of not less than ₱10,000 but not more than ₱100,000, or both.
• Public officials committing such acts shall be penalized with temporary disqualification to hold public office.

Separability Clause (Section 25):
• If any provision is found unconstitutional, it shall be severed from the remainder of the Act.

Repealing Clause (Section 26):
• All laws, decrees, instructions, resolutions, orders, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of the Act are repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

Effectivity Clause (Section 27):
• The Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.