What future lies ahead a poor Filipino child? Does an unfortunate kid really have a chance at life?

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a poverty-alleviation program implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), holds dearly to the hope that, someday, all children will have access to education without having to worry about how to sustain the educational expenses.

The program believes that investing in the education and health of children is the key in breaking the inter-generational cycle of poverty in the country.

However, the Department also acknowledges the fact that our resources are not absolute and so the government can only prioritize the poorest of the poor for a certain period of time. The 4Ps provides cash grants to aid the financial burden of Filipino families particularly to ensure that children are healthy and in school.

Each family beneficiary can enroll a maximum of 3 children to receive cash aid from the program. For each child in elementary level, P300 is given by the program. P500 is allotted for Junior High School students while Senior High School students receive P700 for educational needs. However, a child needs at least 85% attendance rate in school to be able to receive cash since the grants are condition-based.

An eligible child is any member of a 4Ps household who is 0-18 years old or until the child finishes Senior High School level. But what happens after Senior High School?

Many 4Ps households have difficulties in sending their children to college. Despite working day and night, most meager-earning households really find it challenging to sustain the college education of their children. It is a difficult, but not impossible feat.

Kristine Joy Villasorda, a 4Ps beneficiary from the municipality of Aurora, Zamboanga Del Sur, was a program beneficiary since she was in Grade 6. She was supported by the program until she finished her Senior High School.

“My mom could barely support my and my brother’s education. I am very thankful because the 4Ps, especially our Municipal Link, Airies Medina, really helped our family,” Kristine expressed.

After Senior High School, took up a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology at Tangub City College. She sustained her college education by being a working student. Her determination serves as an inspiration to many 4Ps children to persevere and strive for the dream that they hold.

The cash aid from the 4Ps is just a tool that supports the dreams of the beneficiaries but it is their determination that push them to strive harder, achieve greater possibilities, and unlock their best potentials.

Kristine and her brother sees a better future for themselves once they graduate from their chosen fields.

The program continuously partners with agencies both public and private for support to program beneficiaries. In fact, one of the partners of 4Ps in Region 9, the Unbound, a non-government organization dedicated to support the education of unfortunate yet deserving students, committed to provide scholarship grants to children who already exited from the 4Ps program.