To intensify efforts in reducing poverty and promoting sustainable livelihoods among Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office V – Bicol Region, in partnership with the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Region V, successfully conducted the first 4Ps Regional Summit for Livelihood and Economic Opportunities on October 15–16, 2025 at the Robertson Hotel, Naga City.
Aligned with the vision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the leadership of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the two-day summit aimed to reinforce the implementation of 4Ps by equipping grantees with opportunities to achieve self-sufficiency through livelihood and entrepreneurship.
The Bicol Region currently has 294,837 active 4Ps household beneficiaries, all working toward achieving self-reliance under the program’s core goals: improved health and education. The event gathered over 200 participants from across the region, including members of the Regional Advisory Council, Social Development Council, officials from DSWD Bicol, the 4Ps National and Regional Program Management Offices, Local Chief Executives, and more than 100 4Ps beneficiaries classified under Level 1 and Level 2 based on the Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI) results.
In her keynote address, 4Ps National Program Management Office (NPMO) Director Gemma Gabuya emphasized the importance of collaboration in uplifting the lives of Filipino families.
“This is a meaningful dialogue because we come together under the spirit of the whole-of-nation approach, where our 4Ps beneficiaries themselves play a vital role. We always say there’s no ‘forever’ in 4Ps, which is why gatherings like this are important to help our members transition toward sustainable livelihoods,” said Gabuya.
DEPDev Bicol Regional Director Edna Cynthia S. Berces also stressed the importance of the summit in achieving the region’s development targets.
“What we celebrate here are not just numbers, but stories of success. Step by step, we are moving closer to our vision of reducing poverty incidence in the region by 2028,” she said.
One of the attendees, Roselyn Martinez Pasa, a parent leader from Santa Maria, Presentacion, Camarines Sur, shared her experience.
“Ang dami kong natutunan tungkol sa iba’t ibang ahensya ng gobyerno na katuwang ng 4Ps sa pagtulong na mapaangat ang aming kabuhayan. Na-inspire ako sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas tungkol sa kahalagahan ng pag-iipon. Marami rin akong bagong ideya kung paano makapagsimula ng maliit na pagkakakitaan dahil sa mga ibinahaging kaalaman ng DTI, at nalaman ko rin na may mga programa pala ang DOLE na maaaring makatulong sa pagbibigay ng puhunan at oportunidad sa trabaho. Hindi lang kaalaman ang nakuha ko, kundi mga bagong kakilala rin na kapwa parent leader mula sa iba’t ibang munisipalidad at probinsya. Pasa stated.
On the second day, the summit formally opened the Networking Opportunity and Service Fair, where 28 partner stakeholders showcased their programs and services accessible to 4Ps beneficiaries. Among these were TESDA and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which featured its “Do-It-Yourself: Business Name Registration Using Mobile Phone” service to encourage entrepreneurship.
Before the fair, a community forum allowed beneficiaries to share their learnings, insights, and questions directly with various government agencies. The gathered inputs will serve as the foundation for an action plan to further enhance the implementation of the 4Ps program, with the participation of both public and private sector partners.
Through these initiatives, DSWD Bicol, with Regional Director Norman Laurio at the helm, continues to advance the administration’s call for a Bagong Pilipinas where empowered families and communities are equipped with the tools and opportunities to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth.