MANILA- President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure institutionalizing the government's national poverty reduction strategy.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) or Republic Act (RA) 11310, aims to provide financial aid to poor households that meet certain qualifications, to improve the health, nutrition and education aspect of their lives. Duterte signed the measure into law on April 17.

Under the law, the government will provide conditional cash transfers to qualified poor households for a maximum period of 7 years. The National Advisory Council, however, may recommend a longer period under exceptional circumstances.

Among those qualified for the program are farmers, fishermen, homeless families, indigenous peoples, those from the informal sector, and those living in isolated and disadvantaged areas including places without electricity.

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The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is tasked under the measure to review qualified beneficiaries using a standard targeting system every 3 years.

Pang. Rodrigo Duterte, pinirmahan na ang batas na layong i-institutionalize o gawing permanente ang Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program o 4Ps @DZMMTeleRadyo pic.twitter.com/P8YeYwmnrL

— Joyce Balancio (@joycebalancio) May 22, 2019

QUALIFICATIONS AND PENALTIES

Aspiring households that wish to benefit from the 4Ps program have to meet the following qualifications:

-classified as poor and near-poor by the DSWD and the poverty threshold issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority at the time of selection

-have members that are newborns up to 18 years old as well as those with pregnant members at the time of the registration.

-willing to comply with conditions set by the law

The following schemes meanwhile shall be observed in the implementation of conditional cash transfer:

-Financial assistance of not lower than P300 per child enrolled in daycare and elementary programs per month for a maximum of 10 months a year.

-Financial assistance of not lower than P700 per child enrolled in senior high school per month for a maximum of 10 months a year.

-Health and nutrition grant not lower than P750 per month for a maximum of 12 months a year.

Livelihood programs and employment assistance may also be availed by eligible beneficiaries at the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Persons who will be found of falsifying their information in the registry for conditional cash transfer may be imprisoned for a month or up to a year, and may be fined with not less than P10,000 but not more than P100,000.

The 4Ps is the flagship anti-poverty program of former President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and was continued by his successor, President Duterte.