Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson seeks to harmonize the government’s social protection programs while penalizing political exploitation of such programs, under a bill expanding the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
Lacson noted that while social protection programs and “ayudas” are crucial to address inequality and poverty such as in the case of 4Ps which ranks among the world’s best in targeting the poor, many newly created provisional programs have been criticized as becoming tools of political patronage.
“With the unprecedented expansion of ayuda programs, critics have branded us the moniker ‘ayuda nation’ … Pressing concerns have been raised regarding the potential of various dole-outs to foster dependency and, even worse, serve as a political tool that promotes the entrenchment of the culture of mendicancy. Ayuda, misappropriated as instruments of patronage, has been wrongly construed to come from politicians’ pockets rather than from the tax and non-tax revenues of our nation,” Lacson said in Senate Bill 31 or the “Expanded Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act of 2025,” which amends Republic Act 11310.
“The ever-changing landscape for social protection has created overlaps, duplication, and fragmentation… These overlaps and duplications breed potential for misuse, fraud, or errors to the disadvantage of the target poor and marginalized beneficiaries,” he added.
In Filipino: Panukalang Expanded 4Ps ni Ping Lacson, Gagawing Magkatugma ang ‘Ayuda’ Programs at Paparusahan ang Pagsasamantala Nito
