The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that it is studying the possibility to expand the coverage of the educational grant of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the Philippine’s  conditional cash transfer (CCT), from 14 to 18 years old,  to give the children-beneficiaries the chance to finish high school.

To date, the program only supports children aged 0-14 or up to second year high school.

The DSWD said that it agrees with the recommendation of Dr. Celia Reyes of the  Philippine Institute for Development Studies  (PIDS)  that the “program should not stop supporting at the elementary level.” This will ensure that beneficiaries are qualified to have jobs, an essential requirement to overcome poverty. In fact, in the study, Dr. Reyes cited that the earning potential of high school graduates is higher with a 40% increase compared to a 10% increase for elementary graduates.

Dr. Reyes presented the results of her study on Pantawid Pamilya during the July 8 National Consultation on Strengthening Social Protection in the Philippines organized by the United Nations and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific  and PIDS at the NEDA Building in  Makati City.

The call to expand the program to cover complete high school education is also evident in numerous consultations with parent beneficiaries.

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman pointed out that “by supporting our beneficiaries up to secondary level the program tries to avoid negative effects on the labor market by producing more educated  and more skilled labor force.”

“We recognize the contention of a lot of mothers and beneficiaries on the additional school expenses under the K-12 program. The expansion of the program through high school would help poor families continue sending their children to school even with the additional levels,” Secretary Soliman said.

Lastly, it should be made clear that the CCT is not the only government program directed towards poverty reduction.

Pantawid Pamilya is converged with other government programs that are anchored on job generation, livelihood, shelter, education, health, and agriculture.

“The cash grant under the Pantawid Pamilya is like a life buoy (salbabida) to stabilize the situation of the poor, while investment on health and education is being done” Secretary Soliman said

“Government agencies especially those under the Human Development Cluster are intensifying convergence of programs and services to ensure a wholistic development of poor families,” Secretary Soliman concluded.  ###