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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESSBILLS AND INDEX SERVICE
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First Regular Session

House Bill No. 293 _

Introduced by Representatives
Horacio P, Suansing, Jr. and Estrellita B. Suansing

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is more than just a cash grant
program. It breaks the intergenerational poverty cycle through investments in
human capital.

A World Bank panel of economists, convened in 2009 to assess
conditional cash transfers in Latin America, noted a substantial decline in
poverty incidence in poverty incidence in program participants. Another
observation among the participants is the encouragement of good health and
education practices among the family. The same have been observed among the
pilot beneficiaries of the 4Ps program.

Given the success of this Program to reach out to the poor, there is a
need to ensure sustainability through an enacted policy.

‘This measure is a re-file of House Bill No. 6393, filed during the 16%
Congress and approved by the Committees on Poverty Alleviation and
Appropriations.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly
sought. :

HON. Pon A JR.

2n4 District, Sultan Kudarat 1 District, Nueva Ecjja.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 293.

Introduced by Representatives
Horacio P. Suansing, Jr. and Estrellita B. Suansing

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PANTAWID PAMILYANG PILIPINO PROGRAM
(4Ps) TO REDUCE POVERTY AND PROMOTE HUMAN CAPITAL
DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR

SECTION 1. Short title. ~ This Act shall be known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino
Program (4Ps) Act.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ The State recognizes the need to strengthen the solidarity
of the family and actively promote its total development.

‘The State further recognizes its obligation to 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.

The State furthermore recognizes the need to protect the poor; thus, the State
hereby declares it a policy to:

a. provide assistance to the poor to alleviate their immediate needs;

b. break the intergenerational cycle of poverty through investment in human
capital and improved delivery of basic services to the poor, particularly
education, health, and nutrition;

c. promote gender equality and empowerment of women;

d. achieve universal primary education;

reduce child mortality; and


improve maternal health.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. ~ As used in this Act:

a.

f.

1

Case Management refers to a process used by the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) to enable the household-beneficiaries improve their
functioning by dealing with their difficulties specifically in complying with the
conditionalities of the program;

Compliance Verification refers to the checking and monitoring done to ensure that
the qualified houschold-beneficiaries comply with conditions for entitlement set
forth by the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program;

Conditional Cash Grant refers to the amount being received by the qualified
household-beneficiaries who comply with the conditions for entitlement;

Extremely Poor refers to households, duly identified by the standardized targeting
system, whose income falls short of enabling them to provide even just their
nutritional requirement;

Grantee refers to the most responsible adult member of the qualified household-
beneficiary authorized to receive the conditional cash transfer;

Grievance Redress System refers to the mechanism of the DSWD which addresses
and resolves issues and concerns related to the implementation of the Program;
Health Facility refers to a barangay health station, rural health unit or primary
hospital;

Health Service Providers refer to barangay health workers, barangay nutrition
scholars and midwives;

Poor refer to households whose income falls below the poverty threshold as defined
by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and cannot afford in a
sustained manner to provide their minimum basic needs of food, health, education,
housing and other essential amenities of life;

Preventive Health Check Up refers to health services comprising of complete
immunization, deworming, weight monitoring and management of childhood
diseases;

Program refers to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) which is the
national poverty reduction strategy that provides conditional cash transfer to poor
households to improve their health, nutrition and education;

Qualified Household-Beneficiaries refer to households identified by the DSWD for
entitlement of the monthly conditional cash grant;


m. Responsible person refers to the parent or guardian in the qualified household-
beneficiary; and

n. Standardized Targeting System refers to a system for identifying who and where the
poor households are through the generation of socio-economic database of poor
households that is adopted by national government agencies and implemented by
the DSWD.

SEC. 4. Selection of Qualified Household-Beneficiaries. - On a nationwide basis, the
Department shall select qualified household-beneficiaries using a standardized targeting
system, The DSWD shall conduct a revalidation of targeting of beneficiaries every three (3)
years.

SEC. 5. Local Verification Committee. ~ A Local Verification Committee shall be created in
every municipality or city composed of two (2) local government unit representatives, an
accredited health-service provider from the barangay, a representative of an accredited
civil society organization, and the school head as designated by the Department of
Education (DepEd).

This Committee shall be tasked to ensure that the initial list of beneficiaries
satisfies the eligibility requirements set forth under this Act.

SEC. 6. Conditional Cash Transfer. - Subject to certain conditions, each qualified
household-beneficiary shall receive @ conditional cash transfer equivalent to Five hundred
pesos (Php 500.00) per month for health and nutrition expenses or the equivalent of Six
thousand pesos (Php 6,000.00) per qualified houschold-beneficiary per year.

A maximum of three (3) children per qualified household-beneficiary shall be given
conditional cash grants for educational expenses.

a. Three hundred pesos (Php 300.00) per month per child enrolled in elementary
or the equivalent of Three thousand pesos (Php 3,000.00) per a 10-month
school year;

b. Five hundred pesos (Php 500.00) per month per child enrolled in junior high
school or the equivalent of Five thousand pesos (Php 5,000.00) per a 10-month
school year; and

c. Seven hundred pesos (Php 700.00) per month per child enrolled in senior high
school or the equivalent of Seven thousand pesos (Php 7,000.00) per a 10-
month school year.


shall

A supplementary education grant of Three hundred pesos (Php 300.00) per month
be given to the child in elementary or high school who has maintained passing

grades in all subjects after the second year of availment of the program.

SEC.

7. Conditions for Entitlement, - All qualified household-beneficiaries shall comply

with the following conditions as a requirement for continued program eligibility:

a.

e

SEC,

children zero (0) to five (5) years old must receive regular preventive health check-
ups and vaccinations;

children six (6) to thirteen (13) years old must avail of de-worming pills at least
twice a year;

children three (3) to five (5) years old must attend day care or pre-school classes at
least eighty-five percent (85%) of the time;

children must attend elementary of high school classes at least eighty-five (85%) of
the time;

pregnant women must avail of pre- and post-natal care and give birth with the
assistance of a skilled or trained health care professional in a health facility;

at least one (1) responsible person must attend family development sessions and
natural family planning sessions conducted by the DSWD, at least once a month;

at least one (1) responsible person must join and complete at least two (2)
government recognized or accredited NGO-sponsored entrepreneurship or livelihood
training programs;

at least one (1) responsible person must maintain cleanliness in the surroundings
and practice proper garbage disposal;

at least one (1) responsible person must plant trees in the surroundings; and

at least one (1) responsible person must assist, help or participate in bayanihan
projects in their respective barangay or municipality.

8. Non-Compliance with Conditions. ~ The responsible person of a reported qualified

household-beneficiary who fails to comply with the conditions set forth in Section 7 shall

at first be notified in writing. After four (4) months of non-compliance, the household-

beneficiary shall be subject to case management. If, despite the case management, the

qualified household-beneficiary continues with non-compliance, the benefits under this

Act may be suspended.


Should the qualified household-beneficiary so notified persist in not complying with
the conditions within a period of one (1) year, the conditional cash grant shall be
cancelled.

SEC. 9. Mode of Cash Transfer. ~ The conditional cash transfer shall be made by the
DSWD. The conditional cash grant shall be received by the grantee or any of the grantee's
duly authorized representative on a bi-monthly basis through an authorized government
depository bank duly identified by the DSWD, using different appropriate payment modes,
including cash card, over-the-counter transaction, money remittance services, conduit
rural banks, and cooperatives.

SEC, 10, Periodic Assessment. ~ The amounts indicated in Section 6 shall be made
available to the qualified household-beneficiaries during the first two (2) years of the
implementation of this Act and reasonable adjustments may thereafter be made by the
President, if necessary, upon recommendation by the DSWD, after taking into account the
rates of inflation and similar economic indicators.

‘The grant rates may be adjusted by the DSWD if warranted by the changes in the
socio-economic conditions existing at the time. The DSWD shall ensure that the grant
rates are sufficient to make a positive impact on the health, nutrition and education of
grantees: Provided, that DSWD shall ensure that the grant will not serve as disincentive
for family members to work and improve their economic conditions.

SEC. 11. Loan Assistance. - Responsible persons who successfully completed the
entrepreneurship or livelihood programs required under Section 7 may be given loan
assistance as their initial capital by the appropriate government agency that will
implement relevant programs pursuant to Section 16 of this Act.

SEC. 12. Five-year Maximum Limit, - Each qualified household-beneficiary shall receive
the conditional cash transfer for a maximum period of five (5) years.

SEC. 13. Lead Agency. - The DSWD shall serve as the central planning, coordinating,
implementing and monitoring body of the Program.

In the implementation of this Act, the Department shall have the following

functions:

a. select and use an appropriate, effective and cost efficient method devised for the
purpose of identifying and selecting qualified household-beneficiaries;


SEC.

identify and select the target household-beneficiaries on the basis of a uniform,
objective and transparent selection process;

Conduct seminar-workshops and training programs in order to ensure qualified
household-beneficiary awareness of the conditions and other actions pertinent to
this Act;

coordinate with different national and local agencies, including organizations from
the private sector to ensure full implementation of statutory commitments herein;
set up monitoring and evaluation systems and methodologies on compliance of
conditions, implementation of operations, and output and impact assessments. It
shall also coordinate with the Advisory and Monitoring committees at the national,
regional and municipal levels to verify compliance over a month using the
monitoring and evaluation systems designed for the purpose;

recommend to the President measures and policies for the responsive delivery of the
commitments under this Act;

coordinate with different national and local agencies to maintain and update
objective poverty maps which will be checked and cross-checked periodically for
duplications and inaccurate or erroneous information;

formulate implementing rules and guidelines for the enforcement of this Act;
submit an annual report to Congress including, but not limited to, all aspects of its
operations, financial status and other relevant data; and

perform such other functions as may be necessary or incidental to the proper
implementation of the provisions of this Act.

14, Advisory Council. - An Advisory Council shall be created at the municipal,

regional and national levels to be headed by the DSWD and may be composed of

representatives from the Department of Education, Technical Education and Skills

Development Authority, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation,

Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Trade and Industry,
Department of Labor and Employment, National Anti-Poverty Commission, the Presidential

Commission for the Urban Poor, the local government unit concerned, and accredited
NGOs, as members.

‘The Advisory Council is principally tasked to monitor and assess actions and

activities relative to the implementation of the program. It shall also serve as a Grievance

Committee tasked to accept complaints and grievances that may arise within their


respective territorial jurisdictions, conduct investigation in specific cases and dispose
cases filed in connection thereto, using the Grievance Redress System.

SEC. 16. Independent Monitoring Committee. - An Independent Monitoring Committee at
the municipal, regional and national levels composed of representatives from the private
sector and Civil Society Organizations (CSO) shall be created.

‘The Independent Monitoring Committee is principally tasked to complement the
monitoring activities of the DSWD and provide feedback thereto for proper action. It shall

submit a report on the results of its monitoring activities relative to the implementation of

the program to the Advisory Council.

SEC. 16. Convergence of Programs and Services. - To ensure that the targeted household-
beneficiaries remain non-poor after the prescribed maximum limit for receipt of the
conditional cash grant, multi-stakeholder and inter-agency convergence of programs and
services shall be implemented. This shall focus on the enhancement of operational
efficiency and strengthening of inter-agency partnerships for greater impact and
sustainability of outcomes.

SEC. 17. 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.

‘The appropriation shall continue until the program has covered sixty percent (60%)
of the total number of extremely poor families in the Philippines, as may be determined by
the Philippine Statistics Authority at the time of the enactment of this Act. The
appropriation shall be included in the annual appropriation of the DSWD.

SEC. 18. Penalty, ~ Any person, public or private, whether or not acting in conspiracy with
public officials, who, by act of omission, inserts or allows the insertion of data or false
information, or who diverts from what ought to be contained in the registry, with the view
of altering the fact, or aiding in the grant of the money to persons other than the qualified
houschold-beneficiaries, shall be penalized with imprisonment of not less than one (1)
month but not more than six (6) months, or a fine of not less than Ten thousand pesos
(Php 10,000.00) but not more than Twenty thousand pesos (Php 20,000.00), or both
imprisonment and fine, at the discretion of the court.


Administrative sanctions shall be imposed without prejudice to prosecution in the
proper courts.

SEC. 19. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. - upon the effectivity of this Act, a
congressional oversight committee, hereafter to be referred to as the 4Ps Committee, is
hereby constituted. The 4Ps Committee shall be composed of fourteen (14) members with
the chairpersons of the Committee on Poverty Alleviation of the House of Representatives,
and the Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development of the Senate and
six (6) additional members from each House, to be designated by the Speaker of the House
of Representatives, and the Senate President, respectively. This Committee is principally
tasked to set the overall framework to monitor and ensure the proper implementation of
this Act. It will likewise determine inherent weaknesses in the law and recommend

necessary remedial legislation or executive measures.

SEC. 20. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within six (6) months from the effectivity
of this Act, the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development shall, in coordination with the
appropriate government departments and agencies, with the participation of the local
government units, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to carry out the
provisions of this Act.

SEC. 21. Separability Clause. ~ If any provision or part of this Act is held unconstitutional
or invalid, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full force and
effect.

SEC, 22. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
letter 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, 23, Hffectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,