Researchers from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have assessed the impact of implementing the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
The impact evaluation helped confirm the effectiveness of the 4Ps, a conditional cash transfer program of the national government, at various times.
The researchers have conducted personal interviews and focus group discussions of selected 4Ps workers based at the Regional Program Management Office in Northern Mindanao, Provincial Operations Office of Bukidnon, Municipal Action Team of Kitaotao, Bukidnon, 4Ps and non-4Ps beneficiaries in Sinuda, Bukidnon, and Matigsalog Tribe in the hinterland of Sinayawan, Barangay Sinuda of the same town.
The team also visited Sinuda health workers, the teaching staff of Sinayawan Elementary School, and Mayor Edwin P. Abucayan of Kitaotao Municipality.
In 2011 and 2013, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) partnered with the Philippines Institute of Development Studies (PIDS) to conduct two “waves” of impact evaluations of the program with the help of the World Bank and the ADB.
The studies utilized a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design (wave 1) and regression discontinuity design (RDD) (wave 2). Program improvements were guided by the impact evaluation results, including expanding the 4Ps program to cover children over 14 years old in 2014.
According to the previous findings from the earlier waves of impact evaluation, the 4Ps generally improve health service utilization and school enrollment.
“Both waves show an increased trial utilization of modern family planning; use of maternal and child health services including growth monitoring, and spending on education and health care,” the result of the study revealed, which is published on the official website of ADB.
In 2017-2019, PIDS undertook the impact evaluation “Wave 3” in partnership with DSWD, the World Bank and ADB.
It has two components – an RDD study and a separate RCT follow-up of households randomly selected to be initially enrolled in 2008 versus those enrolled later.
The ADB has been helping the Philippines reach its goal of reducing poverty to 14% of its population by 2022 through projects such as the $500 million Expanded Social Assistance Project approved by the ADB board of directors in June 2020. The project is helping finance the DSWD’s conditional cash transfer program under the 4Ps.
ADB has been supporting the 4Ps since 2010, with total assistance to the program now reaching more than $1.5 billion.
Northern Mindanao has 267,970 4Ps active households as of September 30, 2024.
==
