Grievance system in 4Ps needs improvement – PIDS

The government needs to enhance the capability of staff in handling complaints and concerns of beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), as well as improve data management for better implementation of the conditional cash transfer program, according to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

These were the recommendations of the study titled, “From Complaints to Opportunities: Analyzing Grievance Trends and Responsiveness in the 4Ps,” by PIDS supervising research specialist Kris Ann Melad.

She said the 4Ps program receives an average of around 100,000 grievances, highlighting the need for effective resolution.

“Notably, the most prominent grievance category are payment related issues constituting 46 percent of the total cases, indicating a substantial challenge in the distribution or receipt of cash transfers,” she said.

While various complaint channels such as grievance forms, walk-ins, phone calls/ texts, social media, email/ website, snail mail, and traditional media are available, Melad said most beneficiaries prefer direct interaction, emphasizing the need for skilled staff that can handle complaints and concerns effectively.

“Investing in capacity building with enhanced communication and conflict resolution skills is imperative to ensure the program’s responsiveness in handling of grievances,” she said.

The study showed variations in resolution times across regions, showing the need for tailored interventions.

It also cited the increasing number of grievances following natural disasters and procedural updates as another issue.

While the increase is partly due to increased awareness, it also reflected limitations in handling volume.

The study also found that declines in grievance cases were mainly due to the malfunction of the management information systems where all grievances are encoded.

“The 4Ps GRS (grievance redress system) should improve data management which includes validation of its administrative data to prevent specific data issues that are encountered in this study, such as missing data, non-standardized and invalid entries,” Melad said.

In addition, she said there is a need for the government to ensure all beneficiaries are aware of how the GRS works.

“By providing stakeholders with regular updates and necessary information, the program establishes trust and reliability among its beneficiaries and strengthens its commitment to addressing grievances effectively and efficiently,” Melad said.

The study also recommends the regular conduct of monitoring and evaluation activities on business processes to continue to bring in improvements to the implementation of the 4Ps.