CALATRAVA, Romblon — Leaving the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is being treated not as the end of government support, but as a new beginning for families working toward more sustainable livelihoods.
Former 4Ps beneficiaries in Calatrava, Romblon underwent Bread and Pastry Production skills training on August 4, 2026, as the local government and partner agencies sought to help them build additional sources of income after exiting the national poverty-reduction program.
The training was funded by the Municipal Government of Calatrava and was designed to give participants practical skills that could be used to start or expand small livelihood activities, particularly in bread and pastry production.
The initiative was conducted in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) MIMAROPA, the Calatrava local government unit and the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO). Leilanie F. Reandelar served as the trainer.
From 4Ps exit to livelihood opportunity
One of the most significant parts of the initiative came after the training.
Each participant received a starter kit containing initial equipment that could help them put their newly acquired skills into practice. The assistance is intended to support livelihood activities rather than simply provide short-term relief.
Participants Jocelyn Casimero and Leah Fernando said the training gave them additional knowledge and opened possibilities for earning income.
Casimero shared that her husband is a baker while she makes donuts, making the additional training particularly useful to their family. Fernando, meanwhile, already had experience making puto and viewed the program as an opportunity to expand her skills.
The stories illustrate the broader objective behind livelihood interventions for 4Ps graduates: helping families translate improved household conditions into sustainable economic activity.
Why 4Ps exit does not simply mean the end of assistance
The national 4Ps program is designed as a pathway toward improved household well-being, rather than permanent dependence on cash assistance.
According to DSWD’s official 4Ps guidance, a household may exit the program under several circumstances, including when the last monitored child reaches the program’s age limit, finishes high school, the household reaches the prescribed program duration, or the household is assessed as no longer poor under the government’s standardized assessment system.
That makes post-exit support particularly important.
In May 2025, DSWD said it was working with the World Bank on possible support packages for graduating 4Ps households. The proposed approach included needs-based interventions focused on education and employment, along with case management intended to reduce the risk of families falling back into poverty.
The Calatrava initiative fits into that broader strategy by giving former beneficiaries a practical livelihood skill and basic equipment they can potentially use to generate income.
Skills training is becoming a bigger part of the 4Ps transition
The government’s approach to 4Ps exit has increasingly emphasized the importance of employment, entrepreneurship and skills development.
In 2025, DSWD and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) strengthened their convergence efforts for households exiting 4Ps. The partnership was designed to provide qualified beneficiaries with access to scholarships, skills training and certification, reinforcing the idea that beneficiaries need opportunities beyond cash assistance as they transition toward self-sufficiency.
Similar efforts have been implemented in other parts of the country.
In Central Visayas, for example, DSWD conducted a job fair specifically for 4Ps beneficiaries in February 2025. The event resulted in 38 beneficiaries being hired on the spot, while other applicants proceeded through additional recruitment stages.
In Davao Occidental, four former 4Ps households also received ₱30,000 each in livelihood assistance through the Department of Labor and Employment’s Integrated Livelihood Program in August 2025.
These initiatives point to a common direction: helping families that have exited 4Ps maintain their gains through employment, enterprise and livelihood opportunities.
The bigger challenge: staying out of poverty
Graduating from a social protection program is an important milestone—but it does not automatically guarantee long-term financial security.
Government officials have acknowledged the need to monitor former beneficiaries and provide appropriate interventions when families encounter economic shocks.
DSWD previously reported that more than 700,000 households had reached the self-sufficiency level, while stressing the importance of coordination with local governments to prevent families from slipping back into poverty.
The agency has also projected that 1.8 million households could exit 4Ps by 2026, highlighting the scale of the transition and the need for sustainable post-exit support.
For Calatrava’s former beneficiaries, the bread and pastry training therefore represents more than a short course.
The real test will come after the training—when the starter kits are put to work, products are sold, customers are found and newly acquired skills are converted into regular household income.
That is where the promise of a 4Ps exit will ultimately be measured: not simply by leaving the program, but by whether families can continue moving forward without falling back into poverty.
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