DSWD Programs Face Budget Cuts in Proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program

Two of the flagship programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will get budget cuts under the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP). According to a "24 Oras" report by Tina Panganiban-Perez, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) was allocated P99.1 billion in 2027 to cover 3.5 million households. For 2026, DSWD received P112.9 billion for 4.4 million households. For 2025, the poverty threshold—the minimum income required for a family to meet its basic food and non-food needs—was set at a national average of P14,634 per month, up from P13,873 in 2023. This means a family whose monthly income falls below the threshold is considered poor. On a daily basis, the poverty threshold is equivalent to a family income of about P487. For a typical family of five, this translates to about P97 per person per day. Poor and near-poor families, or those earning 10 percent higher than the poverty threshold, are among the beneficiaries of the 4Ps program. But DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said near-poor families should include those earning 25 percent above the poverty threshold."We met with PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority) yesterday. It is high time to revisit the statistical definition of the near poor so that it is not only limited to 10% above the poverty threshold but up to 25% above the threshold because these are households with the same characteristic of poor but just above the poverty line," Gatchalian explained. Meanwhile, the budget for the social pension of indigent senior citizens also suffered a slight cut, from P51.8 billion this year to P51.8 billion in the 2027 NEP. Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), which has P63.9 billion in 2026, got a drastic cut under the 2027 NEP at P33 billion. Several lawmakers raised concern about the possibility of the AICS fund being used for politics. "Iyong AICS naman, may proseso siyang pinagdaraanan. Anybody can refer, pero dadaan pa rin yan sa masusing pagsusuri at pag-aaral ng ating mga social worker. The vetting process is there. That's our safety net," he said. The DSWD also sought additional budget for its Quick Response Fund (QRF) for calamities. From P3 billion in 2026, the QRF was allocated only P1 billion in 2027. —LDF, GMA News