FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Third Regular Session 
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SENATE 
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S. B. No. 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 9 provides that: 
The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will 
ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people 
from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, 
promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved 
quality of life for all. 
According to 2006 Annual Poverty Statistics OF the National Statistical Coordination 
Board 27.9 Million Filipinos or 1/3 of the entire population are poor. To address this problem the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) together with its other programs and 
services implemented a Conditional Cash Transfer Program known as Pantawid Pamilyang 
Pilipino Program (4Ps) inspired by the successes of similar programs in Latin American 
countries such as Bolsa Familia in Brazil, Familias en Accion in Colombia and 
OPORTUNIDADES in Mexico. 
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is more than a welfare program, it 
addresses structural inequities in society and promotes h&an capital development of the poor, 
thus, breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty. The conditions attached to the grants 
require parents to undergo trainings on responsible parenthood, have their children undergo 
health check-ups and ensure school attendance. The program ensures that there is sufficient 
resource for the health, nutrition and education of children aged 0-14 year old. 


An initial study on the pilot areas of the program shows promising results. A significant 
increase in enrolment has been noted. Children covered by 4Ps have higher attendance compared 
to the general population of children in school. There was a remarkable increase in the use of 
health services by pregnant women and children compared to 2007. There was also a significant 
increase in the vaccination rate of children, as well as a decrease in prevalence of malnutrition 
among children. Given the far reaching effects of this program in empowering the poor to cross 
over from their lives of poverty, there is a need to ensure the sustainability of this Program from 
this administration to another, hence, the passage of this hill is earnestly being sought. 


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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO RL?DUCE POVERTY AND PROMOTE HUMAN CAPITAL DEVLXOPMENT 
‘l’t~lROUG11 ‘THE CREATION OF A NATIONAL CONDITIONAL FUND ‘TI1ANSFLX 
PROGRAM 
lle ir enucted by the Senate and the I50u.w qf Representulives of &he Philippines in 
C‘oizgress ussetribled: 
SKCTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Puntawid Pumilyung I’ilipino 
Pi.ogrtmtri Acl of2009.” 
SECI‘ION 2. De&rration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State: 
(A) 
To provide a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity arid 
independence ot‘ the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide 
adequate social services aid improve quality of life. 
(B) 
To give priority to education and health ofchildren, accelerate social progress and 
promote total human liberation and development. 
(C) To protect the life of mothers and their children 
(D) To promote gender equality and empower women. 
SECTION 3. Dejnilion oflerins. -As used in this Act, the temi- 
(A) The Pnntciwid Pumilynng I’ilipino Progrtrm (4Ps) shall refer to the natiomal poverty 
reduction strategy that provides conditional cash transfer to extremely poor households to 
iniprove their health, nutrition and education particularly of children aged 0- 14; 
(‘3) “Beneficiaries” refer to the extremely poor with pregnant women and/or with 
children 0-14 year old. 
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(C) “Department” shall refer to the Department of Social Welfare and Developiiicnt 
(l>SWD) which is the lead agency in the implementation ofthis program. 
(U) “Small Area Poverty Estimate” shall refer to a statistical tool and methodology of 
gelierahg estimates of poverty incidence by combining survey and census data at lower levels 
of geographic disaggregation (cities and municipalities). 
SECI’lON 4. Objeclives of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Progrum i4P.s). - The 
I’antawid I’amilyang Pilipino Programs (4Ps) aims to: 
(A) Eliminate extreme hunger aid poverty. 
(I)) Achieve universal primary education. 
(C) I’romote gender equality and empowerment of women. 
(D) Reduce child mortality. 
(E) Improve maternal health. 
SECTION 5. Conslruclion. - This law shall be liberally construed in Favor of the 
attainment of its objectives. 
SEC‘I’lON 6. Selection ofAreas of Implementation. - The following guidelines shall be 
followed in the selection of areas of implementation: 
(A) 
In the selection of target areas, priority is given to the poorest municipalities as 
deterniined by Small Area Poverty Estimates generated by the National Statistical Coordination 
BoXd; 
(13) The cities shall be selected using the list of cities with large pockets ofpoverty issued 
by the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) arid/ or the Presidential Commission on 
urban Poor (PCUP). 
SBC‘I‘LON 7. Eligihle Households. - For a household to qualify as a beneficiary for this 
program it must meet the following requirements: 
(A) 
’The household is within the municipality or city identified as arcas of 
implementation; 
(U) 
The household has a 0-14 year old child and /or a pregnant woman at the time of 
registration. 
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(C) 
'I'hc household suffers from chronic poverty as determined by the National 
t lousehold Targeting System ("TS) 
which involves rigorous household assessment and 
application of a Proxy Means Test, a statistical methodology used to estimate the income of 
households on thc basis of' household composition, edLication, socio-economic characterisk 
housing conditions and access to basic services, assets, tenure status and regioilal variables. The 
DSWD shall usc the NMTS for identifying beneficiaries for the 4Ps as well as other social 
scrviccs. 
SE:CTION 8. Program Conditions. - All beneficiaries shall comply with the following 
conditioiis as a requirement for continued program eligibility: 
(A) 
Pregnant women must get at least (3) pre-natal check-up starting from the lirst 
trimester, get post natal care and the childbirth must be attended by a skilleditrained health 
personllel; 
(B) 
education sessions; 
(C) 
Parents/ guardians must attend responsible parenthood seminars and parenling 
Children 0-5 years of age must get regular preventive health check-ups and 
vaccines based on the Deparlment of Health (DOH) protocol; 
(1)) 
Children 3-5 years of age must enroll in day care program or pre-school and 
attend at least eighty five percent (S5%) of the required school days; and 
(E) 
Childreii 6-14 yeas of age must be enrolled in school and attend at least eighty 
live percent (85%) of' the required school days. They must also undergo deworming at least twice 
a year. 
Failure to coinply with the conditionalities warrants the suspension andor removal o f  the 
beneficiary froin the program. 
SECTION 9. Grcmt Rares. - The following amounts shall be released to qualified 
bencficiaries: 
(A) 
The health grant beneficiaries shall receive five hundred pesos (PSOO) pcr nionlh 
per household or a total of six thousand pesos (P6,OOO.OO) per year; 
(D) 
The education grant beneficiaries, the 3-14 year old children enrolled at the day 
care program, pre-school, elementary school or high school shall receive three hundred pesos 
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(1-’300.00) per month for a ten (10) month school year or a total of three thousand pesos 
(1’3,000.00) in a year with a maximum of three (3) children per household; 
SECTION IO. Grievance Redress System. -- The Department shall develop a Gricvancc 
Rcdress Systein that will address coinplaints regarding the iiiiplenientation of this program. l’he 
system shall also address issues involving graft and corruption and social inclusion. 
SlX’TION 11. lnler-Agency Council. - There shall be an Inter-Agency Council for the 
implementation of the Panfrrwid Pamilyang Pilipino Progrum (41’s) 
composed of the 
Department of Social Welfire aid Development (DSWD) as Chair and the Department offlealth 
(Dol-I), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Interior and Local Government 
(DILG), National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and National Anti-Poverty 
Commission (NAPC) as members. 
SL?.C‘l‘ION 12. Functions ofthe Inter-Agency Council. - The Council as a collegial body 
shall have following functions: 
(A) Formulate policies for the program; 
(B) Oversee the implementation of the program; 
(C) Determine adjustments to grant rates and conditionalities in the cowse of the 
implementation of the program based on the studies and assessment ofthe program 
SECTION 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Social Welfare 
and Ikvelopnient (DSWD) is hereby designated as the’executing agency for this I’rqject. it is 
authorized to enter into agreements or cooperation with development agencies, both national and 
iiitenlaiional for financing, technical and program support for this program. The Department 
together with the members of the Inter-Agency Council as well as other relevant agencies thc 
Department niay involve shall drait the Implementing Rules and Regulations for the 
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iiiiplenienlalion of this law. 
SECTION 14. Appropriation. - The mount of Fifteen Billion Pesos (Pl5B) annually is 
liereby appropriated to cover the requirements of the program for 1 Million extremely poor 
households for 2009 which comprises twenty one percent (21%) ol‘ the total poor households. 
l h e  ainoiint appropriated shall be automatically increased decreased to cover at least twcnty one 
Percent (21%) of the total poor should the total population and the total poor shall 
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increase/decreasc with time. The appropriation shall continue for at least ten (10) yews lioiii the 
eiiactment of this Act. The appropriation shall be included in the annual appropriation ol' the 
DSWII. 
SUC'I'ION 15. Sepurnbiliiy CluuAe. - If any provision, or part hereof is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECI'ION 16. Repenling Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, lellcr of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SEC'I'ION 17. Ejfececlivity Cluuse. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation 
Approved. 
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