The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has helped decrease child labor incidents in the country by ensuring that each beneficiary stays in school, a department official said over the weekend.

“4Ps is more than just a conditional cash transfer program. It is a vehicle for hope and opportunity. By enabling children to stay in school, receive adequate health care, and access proper nutrition, we are helping children be free from any risk and influence to do labor,” said Gemma Gabuya, 4Ps national program manager.

Under the 4Ps program, families receive monthly grants of P300 to P700 per child for educational expenses, P750 for health and nutrition, and P600 for rice subsidies.

“These grants are provided on the condition that families meet the requirements, including school attendance, regular health checkups, and participation in family development sessions,” Gabuya said.

According to the 4Ps program manager, children beneficiaries aged 3 to 18 must enroll in kindergarten, elementary, or high school and maintain an 85 percent attendance rate throughout the school year to qualify for cash grants.

The 4Ps National Program Management Office recorded a compliance rate of 95 percent among children aged 6 to 18 for education conditions in 2023.

In a rcent statement, Quezon City Representative Marvin Rillo cited the crucial role of the 4Ps conditions in keeping children in school, allowing them to receive a proper education.