The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) stays committed to uplifting the lives and welfare of every Filipino by investing in human capital, a senior official of the agency said on Friday (July 19) following the latest result of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

Based on the 2nd Quarters SWS survey conducted from June 23-July 1, about 58% of families rated themselves as poor; 12% considered themselves borderline; and about 30% said they are not poor.

The self-rated poor families in the June-July survey was 12 points above the 46% in March 2024.

“Secretary Rex Gatchalian always says ending poverty will not happen overnight. We, in the department, believe that investing in human capital is one of the keys to improving the productivity of one’s self, helping them to become a productive member of society that can be translated into improvements in living standards,” Asst. Secretary Irene
Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said.

To realize the goal of uplifting the lives of the vulnerable, Asst. Secretary Dumlao reiterated that the DSWD continuously improves the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the agency’s flagship poverty alleviation program.

Secretary Gatchalian earlier announced that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr has greenlighted two additional enhancements for the 4Ps to protect the beneficiaries from inflation and mitigate malnutrition and stunting among children.

“The DSWD is starting to revisit the policy of the 4Ps to add inflation proofing. Since the law was enacted in 2019, the cash grant that beneficiaries receive is still the same. With this, we can protect our beneficiaries from the rising inflation,” the DSWD spokesperson pointed out.

The agency will also include the ‘First 1000-day grant’ which will provide supplementary cash grants for female beneficiaries who are pregnant and nursing mothers to further improve the health and nutrition of their children during the critical first 1,000 days.

“Aside from these enhancements, we are partnering with different agencies to ensure the financial security and sustainability of our 4Ps beneficiaries as they graduate and transition out of the program,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out.

Earlier this month, the DSWD signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the state-run Social Security System (SSS) to formalize the provision of low-cost social insurance for the 4Ps beneficiaries who may one day become SSS pensioners.

As part of the DSWD’s commitment to President Marcos’ digital transformation agenda, the agency also collaborated with different private agencies, including online payment portals, to digitize the payout systems of 4Ps and other programs.

According to the DSWD spokesperson, 4Ps monitored children are also excelling in their studies, making them licensed professional teachers, engineers, midwives, among others.

“There are also topnotchers in board examinations. These accomplishments highlight the positive impact of the 4Ps on the educational attainment of its beneficiaries. They are solid evidence that DSWD’s 4Ps is a valuable tool in effectively investing in human capital,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said.

The 4Ps aims to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by investing in human capital. The program provides cash grants to improve their health, nutrition, and education, particularly for those 0-18 years old. #