The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has proposed a budget exceeding P229 billion for 2025 to enhance its programs and services for the poor, marginalized, and disadvantaged sectors.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian outlined this budget during a Senate Committee on Finance hearing on Monday, chaired by Senator Imee Marcos.

He emphasized that approximately 50 percent of the budget is allocated to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the government’s largest conditional development investment aimed at alleviating generational poverty.

The proposed budget includes significant funding for the 4Ps program, which currently supports around 4.3 million households.

The 2025 budget will introduce the “First 1000-day grant,” providing additional cash grants to 4Ps beneficiaries who are pregnant or nursing mothers, to improve child health and nutrition during the critical early years.

In addition to the 4Ps, the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SocPen) is allocated a substantial P49.8 billion to support 4.85 million identified indigent seniors.

The proposed budget includes significant funding for the 4Ps program, which currently supports around 4.3 million households.

“The SocPen Program offers regular financial assistance to elderly Filipinos living below the poverty line. In 2023, we served 4.2 million indigent seniors, surpassing our target by 3.2 percent,” Gatchalian noted.

To address the needs of vulnerable sectors, P35.1 billion will be allocated to social services for individuals and families in difficult situations. This includes the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, which provides medical, burial, food, transportation, and cash assistance.