Key social welfare initiatives under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are slated for significant funding reductions under the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
The flagship Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) was allocated ₱99.1 billion to support 3.5 million households in 2027, marking a decrease from the ₱112.9 billion earmarked for 4.4 million target beneficiaries in 2026. Meanwhile, the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) suffered a sharp cut to ₱33 billion for 2027, down from its ₱63.9 billion allocation in 2026.
Additionally, funding for the Quick Response Fund (QRF) was reduced from ₱3 billion to ₱1 billion, while the social pension for indigent senior citizens sustained a slight reduction from ₱51.8 billion in 2026 to ₱51.8 billion in the 2027 proposal.
The budget reductions coincide with rising cost-of-living metrics. In 2025, the national average poverty threshold rose to ₱14,634 monthly—or approximately ₱487 daily for a standard family of five, translating to roughly ₱97 per individual per day—up from ₱13,873 in 2023.
Currently, 4Ps coverage extends to poor and “near-poor” households, defined as those earning up to 10 percent above the poverty line. Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian advocated expanding this benchmark to better capture vulnerable populations.
”We met with PSA 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.
Addressing concerns raised by some lawmakers regarding potential political misuse of emergency assistance funds like AICS, Gatchalian defended the program’s strict evaluation framework.
”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.