Beneficiary households of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) with children aged five and under can earn credit toward their required Family Development Sessions (FDS) by registering their young children with the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys).

According to 4Ps National Program Manager and Director Gemma Gabuya, PhilSys registration and authentication will count as FDS compliance for February and March. The initiative aims to increase PhilSys National ID registrations among children under five, ensuring their future access to essential government programs.

“This initiative highlights the importance of securing identification for all 4Ps household members, particularly for 0- to 5-year-old children, as a proactive measure to improve their access to essential government programs in the future,” Gabuya said.

A 4Ps household head who registers with PhilSys will receive credit for one month of FDS compliance. If all household members, including children aged five and under, register, the household will receive credit for two months of FDS compliance.

“Households that avail of the FDS equivalency must present either their transaction reference number or PhilSys Card Number and authenticate their registration during Period One (P1 2025), covering February and March of the compliance monitoring timeline. This ensures they fulfill program requirements necessary for cash grants while reducing barriers to identification at an early age,” Gabuya explained.

Gabuya said including young children in PhilSys registration aligns with DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian’s directive to maximize National ID system coverage among 4Ps households as part of streamlining government services.

The agency previously implemented FDS equivalency for PhilSys registration and authentication for 4Ps households from October to November 2024, also at the direction of the DSWD chief.

“4Ps beneficiaries can register for PhilSys at designated registration centers, including barangay halls, malls, and FDS co-location venues, special sites organized by the Philippine Statistics Authority, as well as new registration centers which will open in schools and daycare centers to accelerate the registration of 4Ps children,” Gabuya said.