A total of 790 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) from various barangays in the towns of Ayungon and Bindoy in Negros Oriental have graduated from the program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Negros Island Region said.
The “Kadaugan” ceremony in Ayungon for 363 beneficiaries was held May 19 at the Office of Mayor Dennis Amancio, while that of Bindoy’s 427 families was conducted at the Municipal Operations Office May 14.
The “Kadaugan” ceremony symbolizes the beneficiaries’ successful transition from program assistance towards self-sufficiency and improved living conditions, and highlights the positive impact of the government’s poverty alleviation initiatives across the country, the DSWD-NIR said.
Under the 4Ps law, conditions for a 4Ps beneficiary household to graduate or exit from the program include reaching the seven-year limit in the program; the last monitored child in the household has reached 18 years old, or has completed high school; the household has reached Level III, or self-sufficient, based on social welfare development indicators; voluntary withdrawal of the household from the program; or delisting or removal from the program for committing a violation, the DSWD said.
The 4Ps has been the flagship poverty-alleviation program of the government for many years now, providing conditional cash transfers to low-income households, with the aim of improving their economic status while supporting their children’s health and education. ||
