President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is pushing for major reforms to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), including the removal of the current seven-year limit on assistance for beneficiaries who remain below the poverty threshold.

During a Palace briefing on Friday, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Press Officer Claire Castro announced that the President has directed concerned agencies to ensure continued support for families who have yet to “graduate” from poverty despite years under the program.

“Kasi ang lumalabas po sa rule na ito ay hanggang pitong taon lamang ang pagbibigay ng ayuda sa mga miyembro o benepisyaryo ng 4Ps. Ang balak nila ay matanggal itong 7 taong period na ito, at i-strengthen yung case management,” Castro said.

She emphasized that the reforms aim to improve case management and ensure that families who still need assistance beyond the seven-year mark will not be cut off from support. “Kung halimbawa hindi pa nila kayang gumraduate sa katapusan ng pitong taon, ay mananatili pa rin ang pagtulong sa ating mga kababayan na nasa ilalim po ng 4Ps,” she added.

Castro also revealed plans to expand the program’s monitoring to include children aged zero to two years old, a move intended to strengthen early childhood support among beneficiary families.

In addition, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is set to join the 4Ps Advisory Council, allowing the integration of housing benefits into the program’s framework.

The proposed reforms reflect the administration’s broader goal of helping families achieve long-term improvements in their quality of life, with the ultimate aim of enabling them to “graduate” from the program.