SCUTTLEBUTT

Among the many ways the 2025 national budget was waylaid, according to a budget watchdog, was through the manipulation of the flagship poverty reduction program, or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), to open up funds for patronage doles or what is termed as “ayuda” (assistance).

The cuts and diversions in the budget were indicative of the priority of the Marcos administration, where rules-based programs, like the 4Ps or the conditional cash transfer program, together with PhilHealth, suffered severe cuts in the 2025 budget.

In 2025, the 4Ps budget was reduced by P50 billion, part of the P94 billion taken from the DSWD budget. PhilHealth’s subsidy of P74.4 billion was reduced to zero. In their place, generous funding was provided for cash dole-outs.

These programs, like the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP), Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers Program (TUPAD), and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) have no system for identifying beneficiaries and set conditions for qualifying as a beneficiary.

In 2025, the budget for these programs totaled P130 billion. A greater role and discretion are given to politicians in the selection of projects, beneficiaries, and amounts of assistance and visibility in the distribution of the same. Social services, thus, have become a matter of “utang na loob” (debt of gratitude) to political patrons, not a matter of right.