MANILA — Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Wednesday defended beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) amid criticism linking them to higher electricity charges from the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

“Una, fake news si Meralco. Hindi 4Ps ang rason kung bakit lumaki ang pag singil noong April. Yung bill shock na yun nanggaling sa sarili nilang generation. Tumaas ang generation expense nila (First, the Meralco statement is fake news. The 4Ps is not the reason why Meralco’s charges increased in April. The bill shock came from their own generation charges. Their generation expense went up),” Gatchalian said in a televised interview.

He stressed that 4Ps households have minimal electricity consumption compared to regular residential or commercial users, noting that most beneficiaries only use basic appliances.

“Napakaliit lang ng kinukunsumo ng 4Ps. Una, pag sinuma-total mo lahat, ang average niyan, wala pang kalahati ng sentimo ang napupunta sa lifeline rate, PHP0.040 centavos… Ganun kaliit, kasi nga ang 4Ps halos wala namang appliances sa bahay ‘yan para patakbuhin. To the most, isang electric fan at ilang bumbilya. So, hindi sila ang rason kung bakit sumipa ng ganun kalaki (The electricity consumption of 4Ps is just small… That’s how small it is because 4Ps members have almost no household appliances—at most, an electric fan and a few light bulbs. So, they are not the reason why it went that high),” he said.

Data from the DSWD showed that 135,411 4Ps households are enrolled in the Lifeline Rate Subsidy Program, out of Meralco’s 8.11 million residential, business, and industrial customers.

Gatchalian also said the department is open to reviewing the Expanded Lifeline Rate Law, provided that the costs are not passed on to consumers.

“Sang-ayon kami doon sa panukala, maliit lang ito dapat i-absorb na ng Meralco… dapat sana sila mag-absorb nito. Parang CSR na nila, yung corporate social responsibility na nila (We agree with the proposal, it’s just a small amount and it should be absorbed by Meralco… it should be part of their corporate social responsibility),” he said.

He also expressed gratitude to taxpayers for supporting government social protection programs, particularly the 4Ps.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa middle class natin na patuloy na nag-provide sa pamamagitan ng buwis nila… Hindi natin maipagkakaila ‘yan na walang 4Ps kung walang middle class (We are thankful to the middle class who continue to provide through their taxes… There will be no 4Ps without the middle class),” Gatchalian said.

He said the government aims to reduce poverty incidence to single digit levels by 2028, in line with the administration’s target.

Gatchalian added that around 12 million individuals have completed schooling through the 4Ps program, while tens of thousands of beneficiaries have passed board examinations.

“Imagine nyo, million-million pamilya na ang may na-produce na isang graduate kada pamilya… yung graduate na yun, importante yun kasi siya naman yung tatawid sa sarili niyang pamilya para masiguradong hindi sila lugmok na lugmok sa kahirapan (Just imagine, millions of families have produced at least one graduate per family… that graduate will uplift their family so they are not trapped in poverty),” he said.

The 4Ps program is the government’s flagship poverty reduction initiative, providing cash assistance to eligible households conditioned on compliance with health, nutrition, and education requirements.