BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Bacolod is urging the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to increase the city’s allocation of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries starting in the 2026 calendar year.
The call was formalized through a resolution authored by Councilor Caesar Distrito, which the SP approved and forwarded to the DSWD – Negros Island Region (NIR) and Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
The measure highlights the need for the city’s 4Ps allocation to keep pace with population growth, migration from neighboring provinces, and the continuing socioeconomic challenges faced by low-income families. The resolution seeks to ensure that social protection programs remain responsive to the city’s evolving realities.
“Bacolod is a growing city that continues to attract families from nearby towns in search of better opportunities. However, this growth also increases the number of poor and informal-sector households who need support. Increasing the 4Ps allocation will help ensure that no poor Bacolodnon child is left behind in health, nutrition, and education,” Distrito said.
The resolution cites DSWD and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showing that Bacolod had around 11,700 household beneficiaries as of 2022, with 3,831 households reactivated in 2023 and several others graduating annually, reflecting significant program turnover. “Without periodic recalibration, the current allocation may not sufficiently cover eligible but unenrolled families,” Distrito added.
Councilor Flor, co-author of the resolution, stressed that expanding 4Ps coverage is crucial to addressing persistent urban poverty, especially in coastal and relocation areas where families face underemployment, malnutrition, and limited access to education.
“By increasing Bacolod’s 4Ps allocation, the DSWD can directly strengthen our city’s social safety net and help uplift more families,” Flor said.
The resolution also notes that the rising cost of living and post-pandemic economic challenges have further strained poor households, making the continuation and expansion of 4Ps essential to maintaining children’s education and health compliance. It urges the DSWD to consider Bacolod’s updated poverty data, migration trends, and ongoing program graduations when determining allocations for the next budget cycle beginning in 2026./PN
