4Ps beneficiary tops teacher’s licensure exam

A Facebook post of a review center shows a photo of Khane Jeve Rose S. Cervantes and her passing grade of 92.4 percent in the March 2024 licensure examination for professional teachers. The caption congratulates the graduate from the Davao Oriental State University-Cateel Campus for being the topnotcher. The post is shared by the review center and Cervantes’ townmate who was very proud of her achievement.

Cervantes from Davao Oriental was a Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

In a phone-patched interview with Cervantes during a media forum at the DSWD Central Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City, she said the 4Ps was a big help to her in finishing her schooling.

“Here I am. After 10 years, I topped the licensure exam. It’s like a long dream,” she said.

Cervantes recalled that her parents struggled to make ends meet for their family. Her mother enrolled her as 4Ps beneficiary in 2014.

From then on, the young Cervantes strived to become a self-sufficient student.

“I was able to save the grant (4Ps incentive) I received,” she said.

On school days, I see to it that I should finish early any task given to us for me to tutor students who needed help and I earned academic commission (extra money) from that, according to Cervantes.

She then got a college scholarship.

When her parents and siblings saw Cervantes’ name in the passers’ list released on 24 May, they jumped for joy.

Cervantes has received a teaching job offer at her alma mater.

DSWD 4Ps director Gemma B. Gabuya, meanwhile, has announced the change of the 4Ps name to “Pangarap, Pagtaya, Pagbabago, Pagtataguyod” to stress that the program is not a “dole out” but an “incentive” for the poor to have a new mindset for their families.

Gabuya also said that P400 cash aid will be added to 4Ps beneficiaries who are pregnant or breastfeeding babies two years old and below. The additional cash aid will be for 1,000 days to help in developing the child’s brain which is crucial in the first two years of his/her life.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instructed the inclusion of cash benefits for lactating and pregnant mothers who are existing beneficiaries, with non-beneficiaries to be included when the budget becomes available.

Currently, 4Ps beneficiaries get P750 per month in health grants for 12 months provided that their children aged 2 to 14 undergo a growth development and monitoring program and deworming.

4Ps households also are receiving cash grants for education. Beneficiaries with elementary students receive P300 per child per month for 10 months; P500 per child per month for 10 months for junior high school; and P700 per child per month for 10 months for senior high school.

A P600 worth of monthly rice allowance is also given.

Around 1.2 million poor households are to exit the program in September, according to Gabuya.