Higher 4Ps cash grant sought

MANILA, Philippines —  A new House bill seeks to increase the school, health and nutritional allowances of the nearly four million beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) for the poorest of the poor.

House Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan filed HB 120, which seeks to adjust the cash grants to “more realistic levels amid the rising cost of food and other basic necessities.”

Co-authored with fellow 4Ps party-list Rep. JC Abalos, the measure seeks to amend Republic Act 11310, or the 2019 law that institutionalized the 4Ps as a permanent social protection and human capital development program.

Under HB 120, the grant per child enrolled in daycare and elementary will be increased to at least P500 per month per child for a maximum of 10 months per year, up from at least P300 per month.

Similarly, the grant per child enrolled in junior high school will be raised to at least P700 per month per child for a maximum of 10 months per year, up from at least P500 per month.

Also, the grant per child enrolled in senior high school will go up to at least P900 per month per child for a maximum of 10 months per year, up from at least P700 per month.

Meanwhile, the health grant will be increased to at least P1,800 per month for a maximum of 12 months per year, up from at least P750 per month.

A new “food and nutrition” grant of at least P600 per month for a maximum of 12 months per year will also be provided.

About P113 billion has been allotted for 4Ps under the proposed 2026 budget.