Rep. Romero: 4Ps an important factor in bringing down poverty rates
1-Pacman Rep. Michael “Mikee” Romero (FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is an important program for the government’s bid to bring down poverty rates in the country, 1-Pacman party-list Rep. Mikee Romero said.
Romero, one of the principal authors of the bill that turned into Republic Act No. 11310 which institutionalized the 4Ps, said that the legislation may be one of his best achievements as it aligns with his goal of poverty alleviation.
READ: Romero files 101 House bills in the first week
“Of course, ‘yong pinaka-advocacy ko is poverty alleviation, that’s why I’m the chairman of the (House of Representatives) committee on poverty alleviation for the 19th Congress. I was the principal author of the 4Ps Act, which is the Pantawid Pamilya Program, which is for me, this is my pet bill which eventually became a law,”
“I was trying to expand the 4Ps, because I think the 4Ps or the conditional cash transfer, ito yung pinaka-effective na program all around the world, kahit sa Latin America, on how to bring down the cost of poverty incidents in the Philippines,” he added.
Article continues after this advertisementAccording to Romero, this may bring down poverty incidence in the country by single digits, as it forces the public to work towards coming out of the poverty line.
Article continues after this advertisement“This is the same formula, the conditional cash transfers, the same formula used in Brazil, the same formula used in all of Latin America, the same formula used in Indonesia, in Vietnam, where the poverty incidence before is 50 percent, and ngayon, single digit na sila, 9 percent. So tayo rin, from 25 (percent), naging 18, naging 16. So hopefully, before 2028, umabot ito ng single digit din,” he said.
“So may cash incentive sa kanila, but in effect, okay, kailangan may dalawang measures na gagawin: one is, kailangan mag-aral no’ng mga anak nila. At least dalawa sa mga anak nila, kailangan magtapos ng high school, and then, kailangan no’ng mother magpa-check sa doktor on a regular basis,” he added. “Bakit this is an alleviation technique? Kasi once matapos na ng high school, yung dalawang anak, they become part of the labor force.”
Romero explained that if the members of the family graduate from high school, they become members of the labor force, and earn at least P13,000 a month — helping their families get out of the poverty zone.
“And when they become part of the labor force, makahanap sila ng trabaho, magkakaroon sila ng suweldong at least P13,000 a month. Which, from their father earning P13,000 a month, plus ‘yong isang anak earning P13,000, both the family now will earn Php 26,000 which mag-graduate na sila from the poverty incidence,” he said.
“So ‘yan ‘yong napakagandang programa ng gobyerno. Sana matuloy-tuloy natin yan,” he added.
Despite government interventions, poverty incidence is still high, with many Filipinos rating themselves self-poor according to surveys. Last January 9, 63 percent of Filipinos considered themselves poor according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey — which is highest since 2023 or during the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Commission on Audit report released in 2022 also noted that 90 percent of families supported by the 4Ps are still poor.
However, there have been success stories too. During his third State of the Nation Address last July 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. presented beneficiaries from the 4Ps programs, including students who have taken and passed different board exams.
READ: TRANSCRIPT: 3rd Sona of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Among the 4Ps beneficiaries presented by Marcos are Davao Oriental’s Khane Cevantes, who was the topnotcher for the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers, and Engr. Alexis Alegado who ranked first in the Civil Engineering Board Exams last April 2023.
