“Yan ang masaklap. Hindi nila alam ang tunay na mahirap”: Poor Isabela family dropped from 4Ps; residents demand fair validation

SANTA MARIA, Isabela — The removal of a financially struggling family from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Barangay San Rafael, Santa Maria, Isabela has sparked calls from residents for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to conduct a fair and thorough validation of program beneficiaries.

The issue gained public attention after a Facebook post by Jolly Cureg described the family's financial situation and questioned the process used in determining who remains qualified for the government's conditional cash transfer program. As of this writing, the DSWD has yet to issue an official statement on the family's case.

According to Cureg, the family's primary breadwinner works as a construction laborer earning ₱350 per day only when work is available. She said his employment is irregular, and he has no income during the rainy season when construction projects are often suspended.

"Isa siyang construction worker, on and off ang trabaho, walang trabaho kung tag-ulan, at may trabaho lang kapag tinawag. Sumasahod siya sa trabaho ng 350 labor a day. Ang asawa niya ay nagtatrabaho sa Manila bilang katulong," Cureg wrote.

She added that the man's wife had been working in Manila as a household helper, earning ₱8,000 a month. However, due to health problems, she decided to return home to recover and take care of their two children, who are now in high school and senior high school.

"May dalawa silang anak na kakahigh school pa lang ang isa at isa ay kaka-senior high naman. Noong hindi pa sila tinatanggal, pinili ng asawa niyang babae na umuwi na para makapag-rest na dahil may sakit na rin, at maalagaan ang mga anak niya dahil kahit papaano ay under pa rin sila ng 4Ps at may tulong naman ito sa kanilang pangangailangan financially kahit papaano," she added.

According to the post, the family was recently removed from the 4Ps after being classified as having "graduated" from the program based on the combined income of the husband and wife. However, the family and several residents believe their earnings remain insufficient to meet their daily needs.

Cureg also questioned why some beneficiaries who allegedly own larger houses, businesses, and other visible sources of income continue to receive assistance while families perceived to be poorer have already been delisted. These claims have not been independently verified.

The post drew mixed reactions from netizens.

One commenter wrote: "Yan ang masaklap. Hindi nila alam ang tunay na mahirap. Kung sino pa ang talagang mahirap, hindi makukuha, samantala ang mga magaganda ang buhay, nakukuha."

Another shared a similar experience: "Mas okay pa sana na tanggalin na nila ang 4Ps kaysa na ganyan. Marami sa 4Ps na kaya na nilang buhayin ang sarili nila pero hindi tinatanggal. Ako nga, dalawang elementary ang anak ko, construction worker din ang asawa ko, may trabaho man o wala, natanggal na ako. Tatlong taon lang ako nag-4Ps. Masakit din sa loob dahil iyon lang din ang inaasahan mo para sa mga anak mo."

Meanwhile, another netizen encouraged the family to coordinate directly with the DSWD to better understand the reason for their removal from the program.

"Mas mainam kung mismo ang beneficiary ang magsalita kung bakit sila natanggal, at siguro alam niya ang dahilan kasi lagi namang may meeting ang taga-region sa kanila. Yung president nila, ang pagkakaalam ko, alam din ang rason kung bakit natanggal. Mag-report sila sa office para lahat ng katanungan ay masagot."

The family and concerned residents are appealing to the DSWD to conduct on-site validation of beneficiaries' living conditions, saying assessments should reflect the actual circumstances of struggling households rather than rely solely on reported data.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is the national government's conditional cash transfer program administered by the DSWD. It provides financial assistance to qualified low-income households to help support children's education, health, and nutrition. Beneficiaries undergo periodic assessments, and households that no longer meet the program's eligibility requirements may be delisted or considered to have graduated from the program.

*Guru Press Cordillera will update this story once the agency issues its official response.