PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged on Monday, July 28, 2025, the inclusion of homeless families in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
In his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona), Marcos urged local government units (LGUs) to locate homeless families in their respective communities and enroll them to 4Ps.
“Walang humpay nating ipinapatupad ang mga programa sa pagsugpo sa kahirapan at patungkol sa kalusugan at nutrisyon ng mamamayan. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang ating programang 4Ps. Hangad din natin na amyendahan ang batas ng 4Ps upang matiyak na talagang sapat ang panahon para maitaguyod ang kanilang paghihirap – maitaguyod sila, ang mga mahihirap,” he said.
(We are continuously implementing programs to fight poverty and address the health and nutrition of our people. Our 4Ps program is ongoing. We also aim to amend the 4Ps law to ensure that beneficiaries are given enough time to rise above poverty — to truly uplift the lives of the poor.)
“Batid nating lahat ang mga kababayan natin na namumuhay sa lansangan. Sila ang pinakanangangailangan ng tulong ng pamahalaan. Sa ating mga LGU, hanapin ninyong lahat -- na ipasok silang lahat sa 4Ps at sa iba pang mga programa ng DSWD. Para naman maitaguyod natin sila at magsimula na ang kanilang paglalakbay tungo sa pag-unlad ng kanilang buhay,” he added.
(We all know our fellow Filipinos who live on the streets. They are the ones most in need of government assistance. To our LGUs, make every effort to include them in the 4Ps and other DSWD programs, so we can help uplift them and begin their journey toward a better life.)
Marcos said since his administration took office, over five million households benefited from the conditional cash grant of 4Ps.
He said over the past three years of his administration, almost 1.5 million families graduated from the program, which means their lives got better.
The 4Ps, a human development initiative of the National Government being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, is a conditional cash transfer program that aims at reducing poverty by investing in the health and education of poor families, specifically those with children aged 0-18.
Marcos said in the next three years, incoming college students of families included in 4Ps will be prioritized.
“Kitang-kita natin ang bunga ng mga programang ito. Napakataas ngayon ng bilang ng kabataan nating pumasok sa kolehiyo o sa Tesda. Pilipinas na ang pumapangalawa sa buong Asean sa dami ng mga kabataang pumasok sa kolehiyo at sa TechVoc,” he said.
(We can clearly see the results of these programs. A large number of our youth are now entering college or enrolling in Tesda. The Philippines now ranks second in the entire Asean region in terms of the number of young people pursuing college and technical-vocational education.)
“Mas marami na rin ang nakakapagtapos. Kaya mga magulang: sulitin na ninyo ang mga pagkakataong ito. Dahil hangad natin na sa lalong madaling panahon, ang bawat isang pamilya ay may anak na nakapagtapos ng kolehiyo o sa Tesda,” he added.
(More students are now graduating. So to all parents: make the most of these opportunities. Our goal is for every family to have at least one child who finishes college or a Tesda course as soon as possible.)
The President noted that more than two million students benefited from free public college education, with 260,000 additional scholars added under his term.
Marcos also committed to continue the government’s Walang Gutom Program, which is now on its second year, benefiting over 600,000 households.
“At sa 2027, dadamihan pa natin sa pitong daan at limampung libong kabahayan ang maaabot ng feeding program natin. Ipinagpapatuloy ng DSWD at ng DepEd ang feeding program nila para sa mga daycare center at pampublikong paaralan, na nakapagbigay ng masustansyang pagkain at gatas sa mahigit tatlo’t kalahating milyong mag-aaral sa buong bansa,” he said.
(By 2027, we will expand our feeding program to reach an additional 750,000 households. The DSWD and DepEd will continue their feeding initiatives for daycare centers and public schools, which have already provided nutritious meals and milk to over 3.5 million students across the country.)
“Dahil alam naman natin, basta’t may laman ang tiyan, may laman ang isipan. Kung papalawigin pa natin ang mga programang ito, sa susunod na taon, sa tulong ng karagdagang isang bilyong pisong pondo, pararamihin pa ng DSWD ang bilang ng mga batang mabibigyan ng masustansyang pagkain,” he added.
(Because we know that when the stomach is full, the mind is too. If we expand these programs, then next year -- through an additional P1 billion in funding -- the DSWD will be able to provide nutritious food to even more children.) (TPM/SunStar Philippines)