The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) was pleased with the results of the latest survey commissioned by the Stratbase Group from Pulse Asia and Social Weather Station (SWS), which showed four agency programs have “improved the financial stability of Filipinos belonging to the lower social class.”

“This validation from the people strengthens our resolve to further improve our social welfare programs and services and ensure that no Filipino is left behind,” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said on Tuesday (11 February).

The surveys, commissioned by the Stratbase Group, gauged public opinion on various government social welfare programs, including the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), the Walang Gutom Program (WGP) and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), which are all under the DSWD.

The SWS survey, conducted from 17 to 20 January, interviewed 1,800 respondents with a ±2 percent margin of error, while the Pulse Asia survey, conducted from 18 to 25 January, interviewed 2,400 respondents with the same ±2 percent margin of error.

Other social protection programs also gained strong approval ratings. 

The AKAP program was considered beneficial by 81 percent of Filipinos, a figure mirrored in both the SWS and Pulse Asia surveys.

The Walang Gutom Program, formerly the Food Stamp Program, was also deemed helpful by 81 percent of respondents, while the AICS program registered an 80 percent approval rating.

Dumlao emphasized that these findings reflect the impact of targeted social protection programs in uplifting marginalized communities. 

“We reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening and expanding these initiatives, ensuring that more Filipinos in need can access necessary assistance,” the DSWD spokesperson said.

Launched in 2008 and institutionalized by Republic Act (RA) 11310 in 2019, the 4Ps is the national poverty reduction strategy and human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfer to poor households for a maximum period of seven years to improve their children’s health, nutrition and education.

As part of its enhancements, the DSWD is adding the First 1,000 Days (F1KD) of Life conditional cash grant under 4Ps starting 2025.  

The (F1KD) grant aims to cover essential health and nutrition expenses of pregnant mothers or parents with young children during this critical period of a child’s life.  A monthly health grant worth Php350 will be granted to female 4Ps beneficiaries who are pregnant and households that have children from 0 to 2 years old.

The AKAP is a program intended to provide targeted social assistance and safety nets for

low-income earners whose purchasing power has been eroded due to inflation.

The AKAP program is set for a conditional implementation in 2025, subject to the issuance of new and stricter guidelines, as conveyed in the veto message of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr when he signed the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2025 last December 30.

The Walang Gutom Program aims to bring down the incidence of involuntary hunger experienced by Filipinos from low-income households. It also promotes social and behavioral change among food-poor families by teaching them how to prepare nutritious, delicious, and affordable meals.

The AICS program is part of the DSWD’s protective services for the poor, marginalized and vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals through the provision of medical assistance, burial, transportation, education, food, or financial assistance for other support services or needs of a person or family.

“Moving forward, the DSWD vowed to further enhance our program implementation,

streamline processes, and explore additional measures to address poverty and economic hardship across the country,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out.