Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) risk getting delisted from receiving government subsidies if they keep engaging with loan sharks by pawning their cash cards, the Department of Social Welfare Development (DSWD) said Saturday.
“We conduct spot checks during family development sessions that they [4Ps beneficiaries] should bring their ATM because that is not allowed. They can be delisted from the program,” Director Gemma Gabuya, 4Ps program manager, said.
Gabuya said 4Ps beneficiaries who are found committing the offense after three warnings shall be removed from the program.
She reminded them to abide by the rules of the conditional cash transfer program if they want to keep receiving government aid.
“You have to take care of the resources of the government… you should be the one who models the face of the program,” Gabuya said.
The 4Ps National Program Management Office already made recommendations to amend Republic Act 11310 or the 4Ps Law by including provisions to penalize loan sharks and the pawning of cash cards.
The 4Ps is the national poverty reduction strategy and a human capital investment program of the government that provides conditional cash transfer to improve the health, nutrition, and the education of children aged 0-18 from poor families.