CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter consists of two parts: Related Literature and Related Studies,

respectively. It contains foreign and local data that has similarities and

connections with the information and is needed to back up the current research.

Related Literature

This part presents the foreign and local literature that give related

information that will facilitate better support for the study to be conducted.

Furthermore, it includes current thoughts on Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino

Program-related research. The goal of this literature review is to help guide the

research by giving different views of the program.

A. Foreign Literature

Based on López and Valdés’ book on Rural Poverty in Latin America,

poverty has risen to the top of the agenda in the field of development economics

as it affects so many people all over the world. For many years, the analysis of

policies and programs that could promote faster economic growth, rather than

poverty reduction, was the central focus of development economics. The implicit

assumption was that poverty was primarily associated with economic stagnation

and that once developing countries could grow faster, poverty would begin to

decline. The economics of poverty is now central to the study of economic

development and policy debate, in part due to the historical experience of

developing countries, which shows that the number of poor continues to grow

over time, and in part due to the increasing availability of data on poverty around

the world.

Based on the National Center for Health Statistics, the term health status

refers to how individuals evaluate their health, categorizing it as excellent, very

good, good, fair, or bad. Reported health status predicts critical health outcomes

such as mortality, morbidity, and functional status. It is regarded as a decent

overall evaluation of a person's well-being. 

Based on Espinoza (2008), the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

began in 2008 under the previous government and has continued on a large

scale during the Aquino Administration; this CCT includes various provisions that

are currently unclear to both education officials and teachers. The government is

currently paying a stunning amount of money per year to continue the program,

which eventually added to the fiscal national debt. To administer the program, the

Philippine government received  millions from the World Bank and the Asian

Development Bank; hence, we can conclude that the program was funded.

As a result, the government develops alternative means to offer

beneficiaries if they are eligible, as well as variables impacting residents' living

conditions to objectively determine beneficiaries. The program's poverty targeting

database, which includes data on 75% of the country's population, is currently

one of the largest in the world.

 Based on Britto (2005), conditional cash transfers (CCTs) are the most

recent fad in poverty reduction policy. Although the policy designs of the various

CCT programs that have been implemented in Latin America (LA), Africa, Asia,

and even the United States since the middle of the 1990s may vary, they all

share at least three features: 1) it is a cash transfer rather than in-kind

assistance, 2) it is for the very poor, however broadly defined, and 3) it requires

households to meet predetermined conditions, usually sending their children to

school or going to regular medical checkups.

Philipp (2022) stated that the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program's

implementation in the Philippines has increased the utilization of health and

education services. Children are less likely to become impoverished as adults

because the program aims to break poverty cycles by providing resources and

services necessary for growth and development. By 2022, the 4Ps program will

have assisted over 800,000 families classified as poor or near-poor by the

Standardized Targeting System. Furthermore, according to Herald Express

(2018), "the 4Ps program has smoothly bridged the gap between poverty and an

improved living condition among its beneficiaries."

B. Local Literature

According to Palatino (2022), “one in five Filipinos,” as stated by the

Philippine Statistics Authority, is “estimated to live below the poverty level, but

the actual number may be far higher”. Furthermore, the huge disparity in poverty

between urban and rural areas was also highlighted by the PSA report. The
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao recorded the highest

poverty rate, while the Metro Manila region had the lowest. “The national average

daily poverty threshold of PHP79 per person per day,” as discussed by IBON

Foundation (2022), clearly indicates that this amount is said to be sufficient to

cover both a person's food and non-food needs. For a family of five, that works

out to about PHP 396 each day (or PHP 12,030 per month). This was instantly

met with skepticism, especially because so many people are still struggling with

the financial impact of the government's pandemic lockdowns and rising prices

for products and services. Moreover, IBON Foundation (2022) explained that,

based on the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), “the prevalence of poverty in

the population is anticipated to increase from 16.7% in 2018 to 18.1% in 2021.

This equates to about 20 million poor Filipinos who are below the poverty line of

PHP 12,030 per month for a family of five.” The managers of the economy put

the increase down to the pandemic and predict that as soon as business picks

back up, poverty will lessen.

Based on Alip (2022), education and poverty are intrinsically intertwined.

While not all uneducated people live in extreme poverty, the majority of citizens

in poverty lack a minimum education. Because people must work, poor people

give up studying, and this leaves them without the literacy and numeracy abilities

necessary. Children are also more likely to drop out of school due to their limited

resources and income, which fuels a cycle of poverty that extends over for

generations (Alip, 2022).

 The mentioned articles prove how unfortunate the poverty situation is in

the Philippines. Such statistical data from the Philippine Statistics Authority

provided empirical information as to how the study can have an overview of the

current condition of poor Filipinos while incorporating the Pantawid Pamilyang

Pilipino Program’s quality of implementation. Moreover, these provide the

researchers with a better explanation of how and why Filipinos are hindered in

their capabilities as individuals due to poverty. The goal of the research is to

understand the poverty crisis in the context of the country, so the articles

collected are only important for the study as a whole.

Based on Morong (2017) that several infectious degenerative illnesses

have increased in the last 20 years. Many Filipinos continue to reside in distant

and difficult-to-reach places where it is difficult to provide the necessary health

care. The lack of physicians, nurses, and midwives contributes to the poor's

health-care delivery system.

Based on LaRocque (2004), education is one of the most important

legacies that Filipino parents want to leave their children. They think that getting

a better education gives them access to change, and that will guarantee them a

better future and finally help them escape poverty. As a result, they are prepared

to make significant sacrifices to send their children to school. But given a poor

family's highly constrained financial situation, essentials like food and shelter

often take precedence over schooling. In addition, it is improbable that the family

will be able to escape poverty. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the

underprivileged have equal access to education.

 With this as a foundation, the government launched the Pantawid

Pamilyang Pilipino Program, also known as the 4Ps, which has as one of its

goals the attainment of universal primary education. The Pantawid Pamilyang

Pilipino Program (4Ps) is more than a welfare program; it addresses structural

inequities in society and promotes the development of the poor's human capital,

breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty.

Based on  Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago's Explanatory Note on the

Constitution, as a condition of receiving the grants, parents must complete

workshops on being a good parent, take their kids to the doctor, and make sure

they attend school. The initiative ensures that there are enough resources for the

education, nutrition, and health of the children. As stated in the educational

outcomes in the Philippines, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program aims to

increase the enrollment of kids in primary, secondary, and kindergarten

education. This is one of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program's core goals.

According to the conditionality, all children who get a good outcome and benefits

must keep a school attendance rate of at least 85%.

Based on Torre (2016) indicates that retention rates in educational

institutions fell sharply, in some cases to zero percent. The number of students

that must repeat the year is referred to as the retention rate. This decrease is a

remarkably negative result. This also raised awareness and the risks of the

program were also made more clear to the program's beneficiaries. The study

also concludes that the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program assisted its

recipients and the institutions that enrolled in 4Ps. To make sure that the goals of
the education program are met, it is suggested that it be kept going but made

better.

Based on Reyes and Tabunga (2012) studied the long-term objective of

the 4Ps which is to improve the lack of education. Based on the experience of

other nations that have adopted the CCT, the 4Ps are believed to have important

promises for improving nutrition and health outcomes as well as educational

attainment. Rising dropout rates are one of the issues in the educational system

that the 4Ps are anticipated to address. In addition, one of the supporting

problems of education is the increase in teenage pregnancies, eventually leading

to the choice to discontinue studies and a lack of funds for educational

attainment.

Inequality and poverty have historically been issues in the Philippines.

Over the past 40 years, the number of poor households has decreased gradually

and unevenly, and the rate of poverty reduction has been far slower than in the

surrounding Southeast Asian nations like Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand (Asia

Development Bank, 2009). Due to the vast number of Filipinos who depend on

agriculture for a living and the wealth gap, 17.6 million of them struggle to afford

necessities.

Based on Yap (2019), the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the

Department of Social Welfare and Development report was modeled after the

Conditional Cash Transfer program used in Latin American countries, which has

shown success in promoting the development of human capital among poor

households. It has been shown to show success in the realms of education,

healthcare, and supplying healthy nutrition for the family. This program rewards

these households financially for adhering to the requirements it places on them.

Many people, including both children and adults, are attempting to get by day-to-

day without knowing what may occur tomorrow. An education, a regular health

checkup, and three meals a day of food are not things that poor Filipino families

can afford. The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program was established for this

reason.

Based on Republic Act 11310, also known as an act institutionalizing the

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Section III, the Pantawid Pamilyang

Pilipino Program is a national strategic plan to reduce poverty and an investment

program in human capital that provides conditional cash transfers specifically for

health and education to qualifying beneficiaries. Also, based on the statement of

Yap (2019) , under the guidance of former DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral,

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo piloted this program in 2007 with 4,589

families from six of the country's poorest cities and municipalities. The Pantawid

Pamilyang Pilipino Program was formally introduced the following year, providing

services to 320,000 households in 160 municipalities in 27 provinces throughout

six regions. In 2010, President Benigno Aquino III expanded the Pantawid

Pamilyang Pilipino Program’s reach to cover all 17 regions of the nation, serving

as many as 79 provinces, 143 cities, and 1,484 municipalities. In 2016, 4.4

million people were beneficiaries. Based on Department of Social Welfare and

Development, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program has two objectives: (1)
social assistance, giving away cash assistance to poor Filipino families so they to

meet their basic needs; and (2) social development, investing in the health and

education of underprivileged children through various programs would help to

break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

Listed above are the conclusive articles regarding the implementation of

the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. The model of the said program was

discussed above. In addition to the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang

Pilipino Program, objectives and the number of beneficiaries are also stated in

the literature. This shows that the studies mentioned before are relevant and will

add to the research being done now.

Based on Cudis (2022), the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps),

according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),

consistently assists participants in achieving self-sufficiency so they can finally be

removed from the program to combat poverty. Based on the data, 387,577 4Ps

families were delisted in 2018, although only a little over 300,000 were identified

as self-sufficient in 2019. More than 800,000 households are currently supported

by the program, who are categorized as poor or near-poor using the

Standardized Targeting System and the Philippine Statistics Authority's definition

of poverty. The initiative has already helped 5,220,953 low-income households

nationally since its launch in 2008. The 4Ps program, which provides financial aid

for schooling and has a rigorous guideline of 85% attendance a month for kid

recipients of the program, has contributed to higher rates of school attendance.

Based on Manzano (2018), the 4Ps program smoothly bridged the gap from
poverty to an improved living condition among its beneficiaries. The article also

talks about how the 4Ps "changed learners' behavior and their attitude toward

learning" and helped low- performing students do better in school.

Based on Mercado (2022) that while the Department of Social Welfare

and Development (DSWD) is currently evaluating the grantees to see if they are

still considered poor according to 4Ps standards, at least 1.3 million Pantawid

Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries may find their names crossed off

the list. The P15 billion may now be available for more qualified persons, who

may now be part of the 4Ps.

The aforementioned literature and articles provide information regarding

the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program’s achievement in its mission to improve

the health and educational level of every family in the Philippines. Furthermore, a

large number of recipients may be removed from the list if they no longer meet

the program's poverty criteria. The goal of the research is to evaluate and

comprehend how the program is being implemented. As a result, all of the

information acquired is pertinent to this research.

Related Studies

To gain a more detailed insight into the concept of the outcomes of the

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program for the Filipino people, numerous sources,

both foreign and local, were reviewed to identify related data that could serve as

a foundation for the study. The following are related studies that will back up the

research.
 A. Foreign Studies

Poverty is something that is present in almost all countries worldwide. In

Latin American countries, despite significant progress in basic welfare indicators,

poverty persists. The study by Cardoso and Herwege (1992) examines existing

poverty data in the Latin America region and discusses the relationship between

growth, inequality, and poverty. Given the inequity in Latin America's income

distribution and the slow growth of output, policies to combat poverty must

include more efficient allocation of government resources, redistribution, and

humanitarian aid.

Based on Bergner and Rothman (1987), before determining the health

level or status of an individual's or a population's health state, an operational

definition of health is required. Coming to such a definition has grown

increasingly challenging as the emphasis on medical and health care has

switched from mortality reduction and increased lifespan to health-related quality

of life enhancement. When it comes to potentially lethal acute disorders, life

expectancy is the ultimate measure of health. However, in the case of chronic

diseases, if palliative medicines or therapies that may prevent future deterioration

are involved, the meaningful measure of health status is likely to include health

dimensions other than the duration of life.

The above mentioned study with its focus on health status can help the

researchers to subjectify the formulation of data gathering medium, as the

meaning of it may vary depending on the respondents’ health related lived

experiences. 
 Flores (2019) investigated and assessed the influence of the Pantawid

Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) on 4Ps beneficiaries' schooling. The program

had a significant impact on the winners' academic achievement, especially in

terms of inspiration. The findings are also consistent with Vroom's Expectancy

Theory, which holds that how much weight students place on the anticipated

result determines their efforts, performance, and behavior. In this case, to meet

the standards and remain eligible for the financial stipend that benefits their

family's socioeconomic situation. Based on the findings, it is recommended that

the program's scope be increased, particularly given that secondary education

now lasts two extra years; that livelihood initiatives be improved.

Based on De La Briere and Rawlings (2006) statement, the new social

policy theories and program management methods are being applied by CCT

programs at the forefront. They combine incentives for long-term investments in

human capital with short-term transfers for income support to address demand-

side barriers and have a synergistic focus on investments in health, education,

and nutrition. They also lead program administration in the public sector by

employing cutting-edge targeting, registration, and monitoring systems and

conducting strategic evaluations. Their impact is dependent on the availability of

affordable, high-quality health and education services, and it may be exacerbated

by stronger connections to the labor market, a greater emphasis on early

childhood, and temporary assistance for households experiencing shocks.

As shown by Pescador (2019), the 4Ps, which is managed by the

Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD), is widely recognized

as the lynchpin of the government's anti-poverty efforts. Data show that it has

reduced the incidence of poverty, lowering the country's poor population. It, like

other programs, has drawbacks and negative effects, but these are outweighed

by its benefits and advantages, which have primarily benefited children and youth

by focusing on basic services such as health, education, and nutrition.

B. Local Studies

The research study by Bayudan-Dacuycuy & Lim (2013), their study

examines how frequently households in the Philippines experience food scarcity

and poverty using panel data and two welfare indicators—per capita spending

and per capita food spending. Contrary to other studies, this one reveals that

while temporary and chronic poverty have some of the same causes, a chronic

instance has more extreme manifestations of these causes. Low educational

levels of household heads; affiliation with economically precarious and risky

occupations like those in the agriculture, fishing, and resource sectors; as well as

those who work as unskilled laborers; the absence of health insurance; and a

high dependency burden are all significant contributors to both chronic and

transient poverty as well as food poverty.

The paper also finds that vulnerability to poverty and food poverty in the

Philippines is high, especially in the rural districts and areas of armed conflict.

Households that experience higher earnings, a new job, abundant harvest, better

health, or receipt of remittance/inheritance are less likely to be chronically poor.

Shocks related to the labor market affect both transient and chronic food poverty,
while natural calamities or the health deterioration of any household member

increase the probability of the household falling into chronic food poverty. Over

and above that, policy suggestions to address both types of poverty are provided.

In the analysis, "A Trend Analysis on Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino

Program (4Ps) in the Philippines," Olapane, Fernandez, and Payongayong

(2021) stated that in 2009, out of every 100 children living in the Philippines, 16

were living in poverty, having only 11,686 pesos as annual income. The

estimated number of children is 5.9 million, and the number of children living in

extreme poverty increased by 670,000 over the six years, but the incidence rate

remained stable at 16 to 17 percent. 82 percent of all children living in poverty in

the country are from rural areas. Furthermore, 24% of the children in these

remote areas lacked the resources to meet their basic dietary needs. The lowest

rates of all the regions are seen in the National Capital Region (NCR) and its

nearby provinces of Central Luzon and Calabarzon. Despite this, Central Luzon

had to deal with an increase in the number of poor children by 10% per year.

Based on Garcines (2017) states that the findings have two consequences

for educational practices. Firstly, thanks to the financial aid that 4Ps parents and

their kids have received, as well as the school's food program, they are

encouraged to attend classes and participate in extracurricular activities.

Additionally, it is gratifying because the 4Ps kids are encouraged to work hard in

class and compete for honors. Therefore, the DSWD official representatives must

continue monitoring school attendance with the help of the school instructors and

principals to support the motivation of the parents and kids of the 4Ps.
Furthermore, the Department of Education's home visit program has to be

continued as well because this is a terrific way to let parents know about their

children's activities and school attendance. The ability to supervise or monitor

their children's schoolwork is given to the parents as a result.

The analysis, "An educational outcome of the Pantawid Pilipino Program"

stated that this study identifies the substances that influence an individual's,

school, and quality of examines project outcomes and policies, methods, and

programs connected to education interventions to suggest changes or even a

reorientation data on school resources and outcomes from the Department of

Education's administrative reporting systems were the two pieces of data used.

The 2007 Annual Poverty Indicator Surveys Analysis of the individual, school,

and quality of education outcomes revealed that socioeconomic factors are more

important determinants than other factors, such as operating and other

expenses, which are both important factors in determining individual and school

outcomes. Children from lower-income families and those whose household

heads have less education are more vulnerable and less likely to attend school.

Boys are less likely to attend school than girls. Males who work as youngsters

are less likely to enroll in secondary school.

Additionally, based on these findings, policy and program

recommendations are explored to prevent future deterioration, stop the

downward trend, and/or maintain progress made in enhancing the effectiveness

of the basic education system. In 2000, efficiency and education availability had
significantly improved. There were still issues with early childhood development,

internal efficiency, and learning results, but they would come up with a solution.

Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority and ICF (2018), 70% of

Filipino children aged 12–23 months have gotten all eight required vaccinations

—three doses of the polio vaccine and the DPT vaccine, as well as one dose of

each of the BCG and measles vaccines. Unvaccinated children account for 9% of

the population, which is not recommended. Urban areas have slightly greater

basic immunization coverage than rural areas (75% vs. 66%). From 18% in the

ARMM to 87% in Davao, basic immunization coverage varies regionally. Over

time, the number of people who have gotten all of the recommended vaccines

has gone from 72% in 1993 to 80% in 2008 and then down to 70% in 2017. More

than two-thirds of the people living in households are covered by health

insurance in some capacity. With 66% of households covered, PhilHealth is the

most popular type of health insurance. Between 2008 and 2017, PhilHealth

coverage increased from 38% to 66%. In the 30 days before the poll, 8% of the

household population went to a clinic or other healthcare provider for advice or

treatment. Of those who sought care, 59% went to a public hospital or healthcare

provider first, while 40% visited a private hospital or healthcare provider.

Sickness or injury (59%) and a medical check-up (29% of visits to a health

facility) were the two most frequent causes of attendance. In the 12 months

before the poll, 4% of the population of the home was hospitalized or received

medical attention. Sickness or injury was the most frequent cause of confinement

(76%), followed by birth or miscarriage (23%). While the average cost of

treatment is PHP 1,380, the average travel expense for people who visited a

health institution or provider in the 30 days before the survey was PHP 89. The

average cost of treatment for individuals who were housed in facilities was PHP

21,400. PhilHealth covered less than half of the typical hospital bill.

In line with the data on children's health, there is a significant decrease in

the vaccination of Filipino children aged 12–23 months over time. This could

pose a greater risk to the health of the children's population, which the

researchers could use to understand the decreasing trend in the study, as well as

whether the health benefits from the program affect their perception and action

toward immunization despite it being a health conditionality and qualification.

Meanwhile, the literature on healthcare utilization and financing shows that

despite having 23% of households covered with PhilHealth Insurance, there's still

a low turnout in consultation or treatment, which could be driven by the fact that

PhilHealth only covered less than half of typical hospital bills. This could also be

looked at by researchers to determine if the program's health benefits are

enough for each family member to pay attention to their health.

Based on Mapa (2021), the Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS) is a

nationwide survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) that is

meant to offer national metrics of poverty that are not tied to income. Additionally,

information on families' socioeconomic profiles and other aspects of their living

circumstances was acquired. Approximately 44,000 sample households across

the country were included in the 2020 APIS. It stated that 7.0% of all family

members reported getting sick, hurt, or becoming unwell in the month just before
the survey, or from June 1 to June 30, 2020. In terms of family members who

became ill or injured, 5.3 percent had it once, 1.0 percent twice, less than one

percent three times (0.2%), or more than three times (0.5%). This report presents

the health status of family members and whether the illness, sickness, or injury

has been the reason for their absence from work or school or not being able to

perform daily activities for one month preceding the survey. Illness refers to the

feeling of certain unhealthy conditions on a person’s body or mind due to disease

or fatigue. Meanwhile, injury refers to sustained bodily damage, hurt, or loss of a

person.

The above-mentioned study, the researchers could use this to interrelate

education and health factors, as it focuses on whether illness or injury could be

the reason for work or school absence. The researchers could use this to

determine whether the program's health benefits sufficiency or insufficiency affect

the student’s educational needs and ability to perform.

Conceptual Framework

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Assessment of the
Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino
Program
beneficiaries’
Interview analysis
perceptions on the
and interpretation
health and Recommendation
of Pantawid
educational s to the Local
Pamilyang Pilipino
services in terms Government Unit
Program
of: of Zone 52 in
beneficiaries’
Sampaloc, Manila
perceptions on its
a. Monthly income extracted from this
outcome on their
of the beneficiaries study
health and
b. Capacity to
education.
finance healthcare
expenses
c. Sustenance
from the food
d. Capacity to pay
for educational

Figure 2.

The system approach will guide the researchers as they attempt to

determine the outcomes that relate to the health and educational assistance of

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries on their perceptions based

from a data set. The research will attempt to identify and manage the outcome of

the program for the defined aspect. The conceptual paradigm design depicted in

Figure 2 is primarily intended to guide the researchers throughout the course of

the study. It talks about the variables of the current study, as well as how it will be

done and what the expected results will be.

In this study, the Input Process Output approach will be utilized. The first

step is the input phase, during which the researcher will inquire about the

elevated factors in terms of monthly income of the beneficiaries and partaking in

the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program among the selected respondents. In

the next step, the researchers will figure out how to analyze these grouped

variables. They will do this by the means of interview to find out what are the

perceptions of the chosen participants.

After the process is done, the results of the analysis will be used to assess

the outcome of the program to the beneficiaries. This will be done through

providing recommendations to the Local Government Unit of Zone 52 Sampaloc,

Manila that can be extracted from this study.

Theoretical Framework

The Theory of Modernization by Walt Rostrow discusses how traditional

civilizations may evolve as they adopt more contemporary practices. Its

proponents assert that modern countries are more powerful and prosperous and

that their people have greater freedom to experience a better life. 

In the 1950s and 1960s, based on the International Encyclopedia of

Human Geography by Gwynne (2009), the theory became vital in connection to

recognizing difficulties of social and economic advancement and developing

strategies to aid economic and social transitions in poorer or less developed

countries. It draws attention to internal dynamics and socioeconomic

development sources including formal education, market-based economies, and

democratic and secular political frameworks (Gwynne, 2009).

The Theory of Modernization will help the researchers to better

understand the program as an example of a Conditional Cash Transfer, as to

why it has been ratified as a policy, then to a program that assists economic and

social transitions in poor countries, by providing cash assistance with terms of

qualifications and conditions to be met by the beneficiaries. 

Based on McLeod (2018), Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a five-tier

model of human needs that is under the motivational theory. It is often illustrated

as hierarchical levels within a pyramid. Lower-level needs must be met before

individuals can attend to higher-level needs. From the bottom of the hierarchy

going up, the needs are physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem and

self- actualization (McLeod, 2018).

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs will help or improve the researchers'

understanding of the importance of the program, as its health and educational

benefits can partake in the beneficiaries' step to physiological needs, to safety

needs, to love and belongingness  needs, to esteem needs, then to self-

actualization needs; which they can only attend to, by fulfilling them one at a

time, starting in the lowest need of a human.

 Based on Manning (2022), neoliberalism is a political and economic

philosophy that emphasizes free trade, deregulation, globalization, and a

reduction in government spending. It promotes private businesses and attempts

to shift control of economic elements away from the government and toward the

private sector. Manning (2022) states that “many neoliberal policies concern the

efficient functioning of free market capitalism and focus on limiting government

spending, government regulation, and public ownership.”

According to Chapman (2019), “a goal of neoliberalism is to cut public

expenditures for social services such as health and education, including reducing

welfare programs and the safety net for the poor, with policy makers often

arguing that generous entitlements are unaffordable while enacting tax cuts

benefiting the wealthy. Neoliberalism also advocates for privatizing infrastructure,

utilities, and social services through selling them to private investors or

transferring their management to the private sector. Moreover, the neoliberal

outlook does not acknowledge social and economic rights as being legitimate

human rights or even genuine entitlements because in their market-based

framework no one has a claim on the resources from society necessary to

provide adequate food, education, housing, and health care.”

The Neoliberalism Theory can be integrated into the study by helping the

researchers widen their perspective. A perspective or another angle on

conditional cash transfer programs like the 4Ps will depend on the findings of the

study, whether it is sufficient or insufficient for the beneficiaries. This can also

guide the researchers in learning why the government resorts to CCTs, and why
not resort to allocating more funding in the educational and health sectors.

Depending on the findings, the researchers will know whether the program is for

the welfare and protection of the people and society, or to cut government

spending, regulation, and ownership and side with the capitalistic approach of

neoliberalism. 

Justification of the Studies

Health and education are the first aspects primarily affected by poverty.

Consequently, cash assistance programs provide purchasing power to

vulnerable people who prioritize their families' nutritional security, educational

needs, and overall well-being. Despite the fact that they have already obtained

government assistance in the form of conditional cash grants, there is mounting

evidence that Filipino families continue to face extreme struggles in their daily

lives. The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program will be assessed in order to find

how beneficial it is to families and whether it actually helps them. And hence, the

aforementioned literature and studies, both locally and globally, provide

information on the fundamental causes of poverty and how certain programs

contribute significantly to their well-being. Since the purpose of this study is to

assess the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program's assistance to its beneficiaries,

all of the information gathered is significant. As social workers, it is important that

we create an atmosphere where people feel supported and heard. The

researchers understand that people can work collaboratively to improve

conditions by utilizing their experience and knowledge to solve problems and

effect change. Therefore, the social work community and the public can benefit

from this study.