An Act Promoting Entreprenuership and Livelihood in 4Ps

Senate Office of the Secretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session NOV 11 P3:39 SENATE RECEIVED BY: 1496 S. No. — Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid AN ACT PROMOTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND LIVELIHOOD FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11310, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PANTAWID PAMILYANG PILIPINO PROGRAM (4PS)" EXPLANATORY NOTE The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is our country's flagship project in directly assisting the poorest of the poor by giving them the much-needed means to break the cycle of poverty. One such way to do so is by including livelihood and entrepreneurship training seminars. Livelihood and entrepreneurship education play a crucial role in alleviating poverty by empowering individuals and communities with the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed to create sustainable livelihoods. Livelihood and entrepreneurship education provide individuals with the necessary skills to start and manage businesses. Education in livelihood and entrepreneurship also empowers individuals to take control of their economic situation. By providing them with the tools and knowledge to start businesses, individuals can create their own sources of income, reducing and eventually eradicating the need for assistance. Entrepreneurship education encourages individuals to start businesses, which can lead to job creation. Entrepreneurship education can further lead to the

development of small businesses, which are often the backbone of local economies. These businesses contribute to community development by providing goods and services, generating income, and creating a sense of pride and ownership among community members. Overall, livelihood and entrepreneurship education are essential tools in the fight against poverty, providing individuals and communities with the means to create sustainable livelihoods, generate income, and improve their quality of life. This bill seeks to incorporate livelihood and entrepreneurship components in the 4Ps program with the hope that it would lead to more Filipinos becoming self- supporting and more productive members of the society. In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. fil MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID Senator

Senate Office of the Secretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session NOV 11 P3:39 SENATE RECEIVED BY: S. No. — 1496 Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid AN ACT PROMOTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND LIVELIHOOD FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11310, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE PANTAWID PAMILYANG PILIPINO PROGRAM (4PS)" Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "An Act Promoting

2 Entrepreneurship and Livelihood in 4Ps."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - Section 2 of Republic Act No. 11310 is

4 amended to read as follows:

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies. - The State shall

promote a just and dynamic social order thereby uplifting its citizens and marginalized sectors from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved qualify of life for all. The State recognizes the need to foster social justice as provided for in Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution, as follows: (a) xxx;

XXX Xxx xxx; (g) Improve maternal health; [and] (h) Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all [-]; AND PROMOTE LIVELIHOOD AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR ALL TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

SECTION 3. Section 4 of the same Act is amended to read as follows:

SEC. 4. The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

(4Ps). - The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4PS). - The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is the national poverty reduction strategy and a human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfer to poor households for a maximum period of seven (7) years, to improve the health, nutrition, LIVELIHOOD, and education aspects of their lives. The National Advisory Council (NAC) may recommend a longer period under exceptional circumstances.

SECTION 4. Section 7 of the same Act is amended to read as follows:

SEC. 7. Conditional Cash Transfer to Beneficiaries. -

The Advisory Council shall determine the amount of conditional cash transfer to beneficiaries with the following schemes: (a) xxX; XXX XXX XXX;

(d) Health and nutrition grant shall not be lower than Seven Hundred Fifty (PhP 750.00) per month for a maximum of twelve (12) months per year. The health/nutrition grant component aims to promote healthy practices and family development, improve the health nutritional status of pregnant and post- partum mothers, infants and young children, and increase the use of health services by the household-beneficiary. The health grant is a fixed amount and does not depend on the number of members in the household. (E) ELECTRIC UTILITY GRANT SHALL NOT BE LOWER THAN FIVE HUNDRED PESOS (PHP 500) PER YEAR PER HOUSEHOLD-BENEFICIARY. THE FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE SHALL BE TRANSFERRED FROM DSWD TO THE NATIONAL ELECTRIFICATION ADMINISTRATION (NEA) ANS SUBSEQUENTLY TO THE DISTRIBUTION POWER UTILITIES, PARTICULARLY TO THE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES. THE ELECTRIC UTILITY GRANT COMPONENT AIMS TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY TO ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY OF HOUSEHOLD-BENEFICIARIES, TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS AND TO ENABLE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THEIR MICRO AND SMALL BUSINESS. THE ELECTRIC UTILITY GRANT IS A FIXED AMOUNT AND DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS IN THE HOUSEHOLD.

SECTION 5. Section 11 of the same Act is amended to read as follows:

SEC. 11. Conditions of Entitlement. - All qualified

household-beneficiaries shall comply with all of the following conditions as a requirement for continued program eligibility: (a) xxx; XXX XXX XXX; (e) Children five (5) to eighteen (18) years old must attend elementary or secondary classes at least eighty-five (85%) of their time; [and] (f) At least one (1) responsible person must attend family development sessions conducted by the DSWS, at least once a month[.]" AND (G) AT LEAST ONE (1) RESPONSIBLE PERSON MUST JOIN AND COMPLETE AT LEAST TWO (2) ENTREPRENEURSHIP OR LIVELIHOOD SEMINARS CONDUCTED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES OR THEIR ACCREDITED PROVIATE SECTOR AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE SECOND YEAR OF ENROLLMENT OF THE HOUSEHOLD- BENEFICIARIES.

SECTION 6. Section 13 of the same Act is amended to read as follows:

SEC. 13. ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND Livelihood

Interventions. - [Qualified household beneficiaries] THE RESPONSIBLE PERSON WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE REQUIRED SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAMS SHALL be given [priority in the availment of the] ACCESS TO THE modalities and interventions under DSWD's Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) or other

appropriate or similar programs offered by other government agencies or accredited private institutions." THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY (DTI) SHALL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO ENSURE THE EASE OF ESTABLISHING A MICRO AND SMALL BUSINESS AND THE LINK TO THE TARGET CLIENTELE OF THE 4PS ENTREPRENEUR.

SECTION 7. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to cover the initial

implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriation 10 of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Thereafter, such sums 11 as may be necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be included in the General 12 Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment.

SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DSWD shall

promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement this Act within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If for any reason, any provision of this Act

is declared unconstitutional or invalid, parts of provisions of this Act that are not 18 affected shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders,

issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof not consistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified and/or superseded as case may be by this Act accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation, whichever comes earlier. Approved,