Panel 9: Addressing the Challenges of
Scaling-up & Consolidation of Social
Protection Programmes (Philippines)
Presented by Marites B. Lagarto
NEDA Social Development Staff
A Policy Dialogue & a South-South Learning Event on Long-Term Social Protection
13 October 2010 Johannesburg, South Africa
OUTLINE
I.
Philippine Situation
II.
Conditional Cash Transfer: 4Ps
III.
Complementation of 4Ps with other Social
Protection Programs
I. PHILIPPINE SITUATION

Population : more than 92 million

Annual population growth rate: 2.04

Poverty incidence worsened: 24.4% (2003) to 26.7% (2006)

High income inequality compared to Asian neighbors

Off-track in meeting MDG targets for
Poverty
Education
Maternal health
Malnutrition
I. PHILIPPINE SITUATION

Low spending on social protection programmes
0.3% of GDP in 2007 to 0.8% in 2008

Lack of policy & institutional coordination

Social protection has a narrow base of beneficiaries

Social protection programmes are: numerous; with
limited reach; inadequately funded; short-lived

High leakage rate
II. CONDITIONAL CASH
TRANSFER
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps
Provides cash assistance to poor eligible households
Health & nutrition – PhP500/month or
PhP6,000/year ($110)
Education – PhP300/child per month; max of 3
children
Conditionalities : health & education
Attainment of lagging MDG targets: MMR, basic
education, nutrition
II. C ONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER
Implementation of 4Ps
With full support of the President
2007: Pilot tested in 6,000 poor hhds
2008: Expanded to 376,000 poor hhds
2009-2010: Scaled up to one million poor hhds
2011: Additional 1.3 million poor hhds
II. C ONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER
Table 1. 4Ps Household beneficiaries by set
Set
Year
No. of hhd
beneficiaries
1
2
2007-2008
2009
332,902
324,171
3
4
Total
2009-2010
2011
350,000
1,301,754
2,308,827
II. C ONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER
 Support Systems developed such as the National
Household Targeting System
 Rapid roll-out was successful but strained institutions &
manpower & delayed computerization of some systems
 Results of 1st wave qualitative evaluation & pilot test of
spot checks (payment mechanism, grievance redress
system, supply side, conditionalities)

Further expansion has to be done gradually

Legislating 4Ps
III. C OMPLEMENTATION OF 4P S WITH
OTHER SOCIAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS
Proposed measures based on results of studies

Reallocation of funds for rice price subsidy to more
effective programs such as 4Ps

Consolidation of budget for Food for School into 4Ps
budget

Scaling up of 4Ps

Making 4Ps the core social protection program with
complementation from other social protection
programmes
III. C OMPLEMENTATION OF 4P S WITH
OTHER SOCIAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS
Operationalizing the SP framework

Further studies to assist government in preparing a
medium-term social protection plan

Capacity building for better understanding of hhd
vulnerabilities to risks and shocks

Further technical assistance in in-depth assessment of
the adequacy & efficiency of existing SPs

Complementation of 4Ps with a community-driven
program and a community-based microcredit program
as a start
III. C OMPLEMENTATION OF 4P S WITH
OTHER SOCIAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS
Operationalizing the SP framework

Use of the National household targeting sysyem in
expanding coverage of the National Health Insurance
Program and other programs

Harmonizing definition of social protection

Creation of an inter-agency body on SP to develop and
oversee implementation of a medium-term plan for
social protection
THANK YOU!