DSWD 4Ps — How To Apply for Conditional Cash Transfer Program

Steps on How To Apply for DSWD 4Ps Program for Poor Filipinos

Here is a guide on how to apply for the DSWD 4Ps program, a conditional cash transfer program in the Philippines.

In the Philippines, one of the biggest anti-poverty strategies of the government is the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or the 4Ps Program. It is spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development or more popularly called DSWD.

The 4Ps program is a conditional cash transfer program. It aims to help the parents in making sure that their children gets education from pre-school at least up to senior high school. Under it, children are also mandated to receive deworming pills.

Under the 4Ps, at least one of the family members per family is also required to attend the monthly Family Development Sessions (FDS). Pregnant women are also given pre-natal and post-natal care.

On how to apply for DSWD 4Ps, the process actually starts with a beneficiary selection. Here is a guide on the process implemented by the government agency:

Beneficiary Selection: The National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) considers the list of poor households (HHs) as potential beneficiaries of the anti-poverty program. Beneficiaries are chosen via the (NHTS-PR), a mechanism that employs specific criteria to identify individuals and locations experiencing poverty within the country.

The recipients are impartially identified through the National Household Targeting System, commonly referred to as Listahanan. This system is derived from a survey that assesses the physical attributes of their residences, including the number of rooms and occupants, access to running water, and other factors that influence their living conditions.

Eligibility Check: The PMED performs an eligibility check and the list of qualified beneficiaries is forwarded to the BDMD for registration and validation.

Registration and Validation: Following the identification of eligible households, the registration and validation of beneficiary households occur. The beneficiaries are asked to submit certain documents to complete the registration steps.

The list of selected eligible households is then publicly displayed in strategic locations within the barangay to inform the community about the chosen impoverished households. After one month of the list being posted, a community assembly is organized.

The purpose of the Community Assembly is to provide participants with orientation regarding their roles and key responsibilities within the program. This includes guidance on the registration and validation process for eligible households, the commitment through the signing of an oath in the program, and the enrollment in the Land Bank cash card program.

Additionally, identification cards are distributed during this assembly.

Payment/Release of Cash Grants: The disbursement of grants to household beneficiaries adheres to the agreed-upon Mode of Payment (MOP) in the program implementation area, as determined by the Regional Action Center. This center comprises the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the designated Accredited Government Depository Bank (AGDB) in the region.

The chosen mode of payment prioritizes convenience, accessibility, and cost-efficiency for the household beneficiaries while aiming to minimize transportation expenses.

Household beneficiaries have the option to receive payments through a fully digital payment-enabled transaction account, a cash card such as EuroPay, Mastercard, Visa [EMV], or via an over-the-counter (OTC) transaction.

Millions of Filipinos are recipients of the 4Ps Program in the country. This type of program is a developmental program that targets investment on human development with the goal of improving the lives of impoverished children.

The DSWD has set a schedule on the re-checking of the recipients to make sure that all are qualified to be under the program.