The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has helped decrease incidents of child labor 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 or influence to engage in labor,” Director Gemma Gabuya, 4Ps national program manager, said.

Under the 4Ps program, families receive monthly grants ranging from 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 check-ups, and participation in family development sessions (FDS),” Director Gabuya said.

According to the 4Ps program manager, child 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 (NPMO) recorded a compliance rate of 95 percent among children aged 6 to 18 for education conditions in 2023.

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

According to the Quezon City congressman, this has contributed to a decrease in the number of working children aged 5 to 17, with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reporting a drop from 1.48 million in 2022 to 1.09 million in 2023.

Director Gabuya said the program continues to strengthen its Balik-Bata Eskuwela campaign by encouraging out-of-school children from low-income families to return to school.

“Through community outreach, collaboration with schools and local governments, and support mechanisms like providing school supplies, the campaign helps address barriers to education and ensures children can achieve their potential,” Director Gabuya said.

Geralyn Bacang has made history as the first college graduate from the Subanen Tribe in Sitio Logdeck, a municipality in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Many children in this area lack access to resources to complete their education. After dropping out in the fifth grade, Geralyn returned to her studies through an alternative learning system.

The 4Ps Provincial Operations Office in Zamboanga Sibugay worked diligently to mobilize resources and provide Geralyn with financial support, including arranging for her to stay in a boarding house to facilitate her education.

"Dako jud ang akoang pasalamat sa mga tawo nga nagtinabangay para maka-graduate ko,” Geralyn said in an interview.

[I have so much gratitude for the people who paved the way for me to finish my studies.]

Geralyn is currently preparing for the Criminologist Licensure Examination.

The DSWD, through the 4Ps, is committed to supporting over 4 million household beneficiaries. It ensures more children remain in school, fewer families turn to child labor, and communities become stronger and more resilient.