Mark Vincent R.

Maputol
2019-21467
SW 122
Prof. Natalia Sali

Analysis Paper

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program undeniably makes a significant impact

on our fellow citizens facing poverty in the Philippines. It provides substantial support to
communities by ensuring that children attend school and receive vaccinations,
deworming, and regular health check-ups. Currently in operation across seventy-nine
provinces, spanning 143 major cities and 1484 municipalities in seventeen regions
nationwide, the program offers cash grants to economically disadvantaged households.
To maximize the success of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), several national
government organizations have introduced comprehensive college scholarships for
additional eligible children in CCT-approved households. All of those are government
efforts to address poverty in the country. However, there is evidence suggesting that the
4Ps can be likened to a Band-Aid solution, providing only temporary assistance to people
and not proving to be sustainable in the long run.
The 4Ps program leads to corruption in impoverished areas, where local
government officials monitor the ATM cards of beneficiaries and provide their families
with regular "cash advances." Subsequently, these officials receive a portion of the funds
from the disadvantaged families. Most Filipino beneficiaries rely solely on the assistance
they receive from this program, hindering positive development in a community. The
program fails to effectively communicate to people the reason for their assistance, which
is to help them stand on their own feet and build the capacity for sustainable livelihoods,
breaking free from the cycle of poverty. The excessive number of requirements to receive
benefits from this program adds further difficulty. This program is overly selective, making
it even more challenging for the impoverished who lack the capability to comply with its
requirements.
In summary, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program elicits both praise and
criticism. Despite demonstrating positive effects on education and health, ongoing
assessment and adjustments are necessary to address apprehensions regarding
corruption, dependency, and the program's long-term efficacy, ensuring its success in
tackling poverty in the Philippines.