Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The State is, under Article II, Section 9, committed to “promot[ing] a
just and dynamic social order that will…free the people from poverty,” using
policies for the “provi[sion of ]adequate social services” and the “promot[ion
of]…a rising standard of living[ ]and an improved quality of life for all.” In
connection, under Article XIII, Section 1, Congress is tasked with “giv[ing]
the highest priority to the enactment of measures” aimed at reducing social
and economic inequalities via “equitabl[e] diffusi[on of ]wealth.”
As an operationalization of these State policies, Republic Act No.
11310 (2019), entitled “"Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act,”
was legislated. Section 4 declares that the 4Ps shall be “the national poverty
reduction strategy and a human capital investment program that provides
conditional
cash
transfer
to
poor
households…to
improve the health,
nutrition and education aspect of their lives.” And Section 7 gives the
National Advisory Council the responsibility of “determin[ing] the amount of
conditional
cash transfer to beneficiaries,” provided that the following
minimum amounts be observed:
a)
Conditional cash transfer grant per child enrolled in daycare and elementary
programs shall not be lower than Three hundred pesos (P300.00) per month per
child for a maximum of ten (10) months per year;
b)
Conditional cash transfer grant per child enrolled in junior high school shall not be
lower than Five hundred pesos (P500.00) per month per child for a maximum of ten
(10) months per year;
c)
Conditional cash transfer grant per child enrolled in senior high school shall not be
lower than Seven hundred pesos (P700.00) per month per child for a maximum of
ten (10) months per year; and
d)
Health and nutrition grant shall not be lower than Seven hundred fifty pesos
(P750.00) per month for a maximum of twelve (12) months per year.
Now, though, we must revisit Section 7 of R.A. No. 11310 in light of
Republic Act No. 11469 (2020), or the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.” R.A.
No.
11469,
in
Section
4
thereof,
empowers
the
President
“to
September 2, 2022
8:00 am
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adopt…temporary emergency measures to respond to [the] crisis brought by
the [COVID-19] pandemic,” including:
(cc) Implement[ation of] an expanded and enhanced Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino
Program, responsive to the need posed by the crisis, and provision of an assistance
program, whether in cash or non-cash, whichever is more practicable, where the
Secretary
of
Social
Welfare
and
Development,
or
the
Secretary
of
Labor
and
Employment, when relevant, shall transfer cash, cash voucher, or goods through the
LGUs or directly to households who have no incomes or savings to draw from, including
households working in the informal economy and those who are not currently
recipients of the current Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program, of an amount adequate
to restore capacity to purchase basic food and other essential items during the
duration of the quarantine. To carry out this subsection, the Secretary of the
Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Secretary of the Department of
Labor and Employment may approve the temporary emergency standards of eligibility
and level of beneﬁts[.] (emphasis provided)
We must also bear in mind, however, that in the aftermath of the
pandemic, people will not be able to instantaneously get back on their feet
financially. In the “new normal” that awaits, after COVID-19 forced the
Philippine economy to nearly a standstill, the 4Ps beneficiaries would be
among
those
who
struggle
the
most
to
get
back
on
track to being
self-sufficient.
This just means that we must be proactive in ensuring that they are
not left to flounder. The measure of just legislation is, after all, is how well
we provide for those most in need of aid and protection.
Thus, during and after this pandemic, we must raise 4Ps grants to a
level that meets beneficiaries’ heightened needs for support and we must
sustain that level. It is the only way that the 4Ps grants can continue to be
sufficient for, under Section 7(2) of R.A. No. 11310, “promot[ing] healthy
practices and family development, improve[ing] the health nutritional status
of pregnant and postpartum mothers, infants and young children, and
increas[ing] the use of health services by the household-beneficiary.”
Hence, in line with the above mentioned policies, and in response to
the socioeconomic realities thus brought to light, the State, through this
Bill, must increase the minimum amounts of 4Ps grants and must keep
those level until it has been determined that 4Ps beneficiaries have adapted
to the “new normal.” Specifically, this Bill aims to raise each of the
minimum amounts, listed in Section 7(1) of R.A. No. 11310.
It is for the foregoing premises that the approval of this Bill is
earnestly sought.
ALFRED C. DELOS SANTOS
Representative, Ang Probinsyano Party-List


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR
THE INCREASE OF THE MINIMUM AMOUNTS OF THE COMPONENTS OF
PANTAWID PAMILYANG PILIPINO PROGRAM (4PS) GRANTS
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “4Ps in the
New Normal Act of 2022.”
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes its duty to
promote socio-economic justice, especially by securing the interests and
welfare of beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in
the context of pre and post-COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the State
acknowledges the necessity of stepping up the financial aid that these
beneficiaries receive, until such time that they shall have been able to adapt
to
the
“new
normal”
and
are
once
again
able
to
strive
towards
self-sufficiency.
SECTION 3. Increased Minimum Amounts for the Components of 4Ps
Grants. – The minimum amounts for the components of 4Ps grants shall
each be increased, such that:
a) The conditional cash transfer grant per child enrolled in daycare and
elementary programs shall not be lower than Five hundred pesos
(P500.00) per month per child for a maximum of ten (10) months per
year;
b) Conditional cash transfer grant per child enrolled in junior high
school shall not be lower than Seven hundred pesos (P700.00) per
month per child for a maximum of ten (10) months per year;
c) Conditional cash transfer grant per child enrolled in senior high
school shall not be lower than Nine hundred pesos (P900.00) per
month per child for a maximum of ten (10) months per year; and
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d) Health and nutrition grants shall not be lower than One thousand one
hundred (P1100.00) per month for a maximum of twelve (12) months
per year.
SECTION 4.
Situation Review/Analysis and Recommendations. – In
connection with Section 4(cc) of Republic Act No. 11469, which empowers
the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development and the Secretary of Labor
and
Employment
to
approve
the
temporary
emergency
standards
of
eligibility and level of beneﬁts, the same Secretaries are hereby tasked with
conducting situation reviews/analyses to determine:
1) If the increase in Section 4 hereof shall be enough to raise the 4Ps
grants to a level that meets the heightened needs of beneficiaries,
in the context of the COVID-19’s effect on the economy as a whole
and
on
households,
and
of
the
current
most
pressing
needs/necessities
for
adapting
to
employment,
academics,
food/nutrition, and health in the “new normal”; and
2) The length of time that such increased 4Ps grants shall need to be
sustained, to successfully aid the beneficiaries in getting back on
track to becoming self-sufficient.
The Secretaries shall determine the composition of the teams handling
the
review/analysis,
as
well
as
the methodology for the same. Their
recommendations shall be submitted in time for the deliberations on the
national budget for the Fiscal Year 2023.
SECTION 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Secretary of
Social Welfare and Development shall promulgate the necessary rules and
regulations required for the effective implementation of the provisions of this
Act. The Secretary shall likewise
SECTION 6. Appropriations – The amount necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act shall be charged against those authorized in the
current and subsequent General Appropriations Act.
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part of this Act
is
held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions or parts
unaffected shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION
8.
Repealing
Clause.
–
All
laws,
executive
orders,
presidential decrees or issuances, letters of instruction, administrative
orders, rules, and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions
of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.
Approved,