The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) has helped thousands of Filipino families overcome poverty. Among them is the Francisco family from the town of San Jose in Negros Oriental.
Implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the 4Ps program provides educational grants, health grants, and other types of assistance. Rizza and Ronald Francisco credits the program for helping their family overcome poverty.
Image Credit: fo7.dswd.gov.ph
Facing Life’s Challenges
Based on a report by DSWD Field Office 7 – Central Visayas, the Francisco family makes a living by selling fish in the market. Both Rizza and Ronald work hard to support their family’s needs.
“Nagtinabangay kami sa akong bana sa pagbaligya og isda kada adlaw para makakaon ang among duha kaanak (We helped each other in selling fish everyday so that we could provide food for our two children),” Rizza said.
However, providing for their family’s basic needs — like food, school supplies, and other expenses — was a daily struggle for the couple.
“Lisod kaayo nga mahimong pobre, pero kon wala tay buhaton sa atong kapobrehon magpabilin gayud ang atong pamilya nga walay asenso (Being poor is very hard, but if we don’t do anything, our family will remain poor),” Rizza stated.
Choosing a Life of Faith
Admittedly, Rizza shared that she and her husband used to engage in vices such as drinking alcohol, smoking, and gambling — activities that further strained their finances. Fortunately, things changed when a “born-again” Christian pastor visited them.
The pastor’s preaching awakened a newfound faith in the couple. They decided to transform their lives, stayed away from vices, and sough to pursue God’s positive plan for them and their children.
Joining the 4Ps Program
While their newfound faith helped Rizza and Ronald to turn away from their vices, a government program helped them to overcome their financial struggles.
In December 2011, the Francisco family became a household beneficiary of the DSWD’s flagship poverty program, 4Ps. At that time, their children, Reina Joy and Ronald II — were nine and seven years old, respectively.
Since joining the program, the family’s living conditions greatly improved. They received cash grants, which helped them to support the children’s educational as well as health-related expenses. Moreover, Rizza and Ronald were able to focus on earning income, and gradually expanded their business of buying and selling fish.
Rizza also attended monthly Family Development Sessions (FDS), which is one of the requirements upon joining the 4Ps program. During these sessions, she learned more about how to manage herself and her family. They discussed topics like gender and development, health and nutrition, financial literacy, and more.
Notably, the insights that Rizza gained from the FDS goes hand-in-hand with the Christian teaching she learned from church. These lessons strengthened relationships within her family, and eventually with their neighbors and other members of the community.
Becoming Self-Sufficient
Together, Rizza and Ronald earned a monthly income of PHP 30,000 through their business. They became known suppliers of fish in their local market. Eventually, they were able to purchase a cargo truck, which helped them to supply fish not only to San Jose Public Market, but to nearby towns as well.
In addition, the family joined the Perpetual Help Credit Cooperative, Inc., a cooperative that grants loans and savings products. This helped them to manage their finances more effectively.
Over the years, the Francisco family’s living condition improved. During the last Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI) study done by their 4Ps municipal link, they gained a total SWDI score of 2.92269. This is equal to a Level 3 or self-sufficiency level — indicating that the family is able to meet their basic needs and maintain financial stability.
In the 4Ps program, a Level 3 status also means that the family is ready to “graduate” or exit from the program. On March 26, 2024, the Francisco family were among the first batch of 4Ps graduates in San Jose, and they attended a ceremonial graduation.
Looking Forward to a Bright Future
Today, Rizza is committed to sharing her blessings and extending help to those in need. She is eager to help spread the good news of God’s grace to other people, thus making a positive impact and fostering love, mercy, and respect within her community.
At present, Rizza’s son, Ronald II, is a Grade 11 student in San Jose Provincial High School. Meanwhile, her daughter, Reina Joy, had graduated from senior high school. She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Sofia Reinn Markiesha, and plans to pursue her college education in the future.
Indeed, the future looks bright for the Francisco family, and they are truly thankful to the DSWD. “Ang ahensya na nakahaw-as sa among kapobrehon tungod sa ilang tabang. Ang Ginoo, magpanalangin sa DSWD kanunay (This agency enabled us to overcome poverty, because of their help. May God bless DSWD always),” Rizza and Ronald shared.
Image Credit: fo7.dswd.gov.ph
About the 4Ps Program
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is a poverty alleviation program of the Philippine government. Targeting the “poorest of the poor,” the program’s beneficiaries are low-income families, specifically those with children ages 0 to 18 years old.
For it beneficiaries, the 4Ps program provides conditional cash transfers in the form of educational assistance, health assistance, health insurance, rice subsidy, and other services.
Educational Assistance. For each month of the school year, 4Ps beneficiaries receive PHP 300 for every day-care and elementary student, PHP 500 for junior high school students, and PHP 700 for students in senior high school.
Health Assistance. Also each month, a 4Ps beneficiary household receives PHP 750 for health-related expenses.
Health Insurance. Program beneficiaries automatically receive insurance coverage through the government’s PhilHealth program.
Rice Subsidy. A 4Ps beneficiary household receives rice subsidy amounting to PHP 600.
Other Services. Program beneficiaries are given priority in government initiatives such as the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), which is also implemented by the DSWD.
Educational, health, and other financial aids are released to 4Ps beneficiaries through LandBank ATMs. There are many LandBank servicing branches nationwide, where they can receive their payouts. In areas where LandBank is not available, other methods such as GCash and rural bank transactions are considered.
Final Thoughts
The Francisco family’s story imparts plenty of valuable lessons. It shows that through hard work and commitment, a family can overcome the cycle of poverty. Furthermore, choosing to love God and live in faith can help transform families and communities.
As cited earlier, the 4Ps program’s Family Development Sessions (FDS) were also a big help. Indeed, it is not only money that “supports” a family, but also lessons gained and positive values.