House nears okay of expanded 4Ps law
A neophyte solon expressed elation over the passage of a measure that seeks to amend the Republic Act No. 11310, or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)
Approved on second reading in the House of Representatives, the bill seeks to provide capacity building—specifically education, entrepreneurship training, and skills upgrading—for adult beneficiaries.
AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee, the principal author and co-sponsor of “Expanded 4Ps Act,” stressed that the said measure is an “effective investment to our people to enable them to earn, stand on their own, successfully graduate from the 4Ps program, and help break the intergenerational cycle of poverty.”
“Alam natin na para sa marami nating mga kababayan, ayaw nila ng handouts, gusto nila ng trabaho at oportunidad. Ito po ang mismong layunin ng panukalang batas na ito,” he said.
“Pamumuhunan ito sa kakayahan at kinabukasan ng mamamayan, lalo na ang mas nangangailangan. We are proud to push for this important bill that makes adult education, livelihood, and entrepreneurship skills training part of the 4Ps benefit package, which is limited to a maximum of seven years in the program,” he added.
Under this measure, the government will be offering additional cash grants to beneficiaries to pay for the cost of transportation and meals as they pursue any of the three tracks: a) Continuing education through Alternative Learning System (ALS) Track until they finish Grade 12 or Senior High School; b) Entrepreneurship Track to learn how to manage and grow a business; and c) Employment Track for up-skilling in order to make themselves more marketable in the labor market.
“Nagpapasalamat po tayo sa Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilya ng Pantawid (SNPP), sa walang pagod at aktibo nilang pakikipagtulungan para maisulong at mapaganda ang batas na ito—sila na mga patunay kung paano nakakatulong ang programa para mapabuti ang kalidad ng pamumuhay ng mga nangangailangan nating kababayan,” the solon said.
