DSWD: Education grants distributed

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has started the distribution of the 2023 backpay for the education grant of 650,000 households that were reinstated in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

“We are pleased to announce that the households reinstated into the 4Ps program have already received their education grants through the Land Bank of the Philippines. These 4Ps beneficiaries whose grants were temporarily put on hold while the SWDI (Social Welfare and Development Indicators) assessment was being conducted,” 4Ps National Program Manager and Director Gemma Gabuya said.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P5 billion for the reinstated 4Ps families last week. Gabuya said the retroactive payments cover the 10-month pay period for the education grants in 2023.

She said the delayed health grants and rice subsidies of the reinstated households covering the same period have been distributed from December 2023 to June 2024.

She said another 120,000 households are set to receive by August 17 the retroactive payment of education grants, health grants, and rice subsidies.

“We acknowledge that these grants are vital for the reinstated families and we are committed to ensuring that these funds reach them promptly,” Gabuya said.

Under the 4Ps, the health and nutrition grant for each household beneficiary is P750 per month, and P600 for rice subsidy per month, while the education grant for children in elementary is P300 per month, P500 per month for junior high school; and P700 per month for senior high school.

Over 700,000 households were reinstated to 4Ps following an SWDI assessment as result of requests for reconsideration after many of them have slid back down to poverty following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After the assessment using the SWDI tool, we found out that these households, who were initially tagged as non-poor by the Listahanan 3, still need support from the program to help them achieve self-sufficiency. It is noted that their level of well-being, as assessed by the Listahanan 3 in 2019, was halted due to the pandemic which struck in 2020. Hence, we reinstated them to become eligible for the grants that will help