Age group of children covered by 4Ps extended by DSWD

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development is expanding the age coverage of the children to benefit the Pantawid Pamil-yang Pilipino Program of the government.

Aileen Lariba, DSWD-7 PPP information officer said that this time, the agency is including children ages 15 to 18 years old whose families are already beneficiaries of the 4Ps.

The children, after complying with requirements, are entitled to receive P500 per month as educational assistance.

Previously, the program included kids with ages 0 to 14. With this, they are given P500 per month as health assistance and another P300 per month as educational assistance for those ages 6 to 14 years old.

With the expansion of the age, Lariba said, a PPP beneficiary household should only register up to three children.

“So for example, lima ang anak, magpili ra sila og tulo nila ka anak nga ilang ipa register,” said Lariba in an interview with The FREEMAN.

Lariba added that the expansion of the age of the children under the 4Ps is aimed to increase the chances of the youth to go to college or to enroll in a vocational school for eventual employment.

DSWD-7 intends to register 140,000 kids ages 14 to 18, whose household is already a 4Ps beneficiary. In Central Visayas, it currently has 260,000 household beneficiaries. She said that the registration is now ongoing and they expect to finish this by the end of April this year.  (FREEMAN)