Social media posts claiming to show lists of Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries are fake. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) states that no official beneficiary lists are posted online in line with the Data Privacy Act of 2012. The links in these posts lead to unrelated e-commerce websites.
The Facebook page 'Kabayan Newsline Updates' has shared posts displaying alleged lists of Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries. The first post on UCT has 163 shares, while the second on 4Ps has 160 shares. These have circulated in groups such as '4ps all Region update and payout' with 118,000 members and 'DSWD 4P’S LANDBANK PAY-OUT NEWS UPDATE' with 85,900 members. The posts use the DSWD's name and logo, potentially misleading users into thinking they are official.
The DSWD has warned that it does not release masterlists of 4Ps beneficiaries due to the Data Privacy Act of 2012. Payout schedules are not posted online and are automatically credited to beneficiaries' cash cards. In June 2024, the DSWD informed Rappler that beneficiaries are notified of schedules through city or municipal links and cannot check online if they are due for payout.
The UCT program was discontinued in 2020 due to a lack of allocated budget. It was originally implemented to provide cash assistance to poor households to mitigate the economic effects of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law. The 4Ps was launched in 2008 as a national poverty reduction strategy offering conditional cash transfers to beneficiaries selected via the National Targeting Household System or Listahanan.
Verified updates on 4Ps and other DSWD programs are available on the agency's official website or verified social media pages.
