FACT CHECK: Government cash grant not for all Filipino families

Claim: The government provides cash grants for every Filipino family.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube video has 30,000 views, 1,600 likes, and 283 comments as of writing.

The bottom line: The video did not show any information to support the claim. Instead, a video of the Department of Finance Secretary, Benjamin Diokno, was played throughout the video. The video was taken from a press briefing for the Malacañang Press Corps last March 7, 2023. 

During the press briefing, Diokno discussed ways to address inflation in the country. Some plans included the extension of the targeted cash transfer program for 2023. According to Diokno: “Ito ay P500 for two months, so that means P1,000 for 9.3 million households, ibibigay na natin ito. Na-identify na namin kung saan kukunin ang pera and siguro in a few days or in a few weeks, maibibigay na natin ito sa mga naapektuhan ng inflation.”

(It’s P500 for two months, so that means P1,000 for 9.3 million households, let’s give it a go. We have already identified where to take the money and maybe in a few days or in a few weeks, we can give it to those affected by inflation.)

The cash transfer program is under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). In addition to the cash transfer program, the DSWD also provides help through its Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a “poverty reduction strategy that provides grants to extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition and education particularly of children aged 0-14.”

Recipients of 4Ps receive conditional grants such as P6,000 a year or P500 per month per household for health and nutrition expenses, and P3,000 for one school year or 10 months or P300 every month per child (a maximum of three children per household is allowed) for their educational expenses. 

Beneficiaries must comply with the following conditions to avail cash grants:

• Pregnant women must get pre and postnatal care, and be attended by a skilled/ trained professional during a childbirth.
• Parents or guardians must attend responsible family development sessions.
• Children 0-5 years old must receive regular preventive health check ups and vaccines.
• Children 3-5 years old must attend daycare or preschool classes at least 85% of the time.
• Children 6-14 years old must enroll in elementary or high school and attend at least 85% of the time.
• Children 6-14 years old must avail of deworming pills every five months.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also called on the DSWD to “provide cash grants to poor households and individuals who do not benefit from the lower income tax rates but who are adversely affected by rising prices,” with no mention of every Filipino household – Andrei Santos/Rappler.com

Andrei Santos is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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