ILOILO City – To sustain livelihood improvements and prevent a relapse into poverty, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has allocated P183 million for its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) targeting approximately 9,212 Western Visayas families scheduled to “graduate” from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) this year.
The term “graduate” refers to households that have attained a self-sufficient level of well-being, as evaluated through DSWD’s Social Welfare and Development Indicator.
This comprehensive tool assesses various factors including social spending and the general conditions of social protection systems.
The funds are designated to assist families across several provinces, with allocations as follows:
* Aklan – 966 families, P19.2 million
* Antique – 1,000 families, P20.065 million
* Capiz – 822 families, P16.36 million
* Guimaras – 198 families, P3.94 million
* Iloilo City – 684 families, P13.67 million
* Iloilo – 2,325 families, P46.36 million
* Negros Occidental – 3,211 families, P64.065 million
Atty. Carmelo Nochete, director of DSWD Region 6, emphasized the role of local government units (LGUs) in providing aftercare services to these families to ensure they do not regress into poverty.
The program prioritizes capacity-building for economically vulnerable sectors, enhancing their socio-economic conditions through livelihood opportunities.
“Beneficiaries are formed into SLP associations, undergo social preparation, and they themselves identify which micro-development enterprises to engage in, guided by our project development officers,” Nochete said.
Tmplementation of the SLP by families is closely monitored to ensure success, he added.
To date, DSWD-6 has supported 56,620 4Ps households, with 30,833 receiving aid from LGUs for scholarships, livelihood, health, and other needs.
Additionally, 8,923 households benefited from various government agencies in terms of livelihood and employment opportunities.
In 2024 alone, 16,864 4Ps households have already received livelihood projects, demonstrating the expansive reach of this initiative.
The 4Ps program offers conditional cash grants to the poorest families to enhance health, nutrition, and education for children aged 0-18.
Nochete said a new law sets a maximum duration of seven years for 4Ps participation, after which beneficiaries automatically become candidates for “graduation”. “Assessments are conducted annually to determine if a household’s well-being has improved enough to graduate early,” he explained.
To qualify and remain eligible for 4Ps benefits, households must meet several conditions including prenatal care for pregnant women, attendance at family development sessions, regular health check-ups for young children, deworming for school-aged children, and maintaining school attendance above 85% for children aged three to 18 years old.
Currently, Region 6 has 361,756 families benefiting from the 4Ps program./PN
