Traversing Poverty Alleviation Initiatives: A Comparative Analysis of the Welfare Card System in Thailand and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in the Philippines
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Intensified by flawed program designs and implementation, the Welfare Card System (WCS) in Thailand and the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in the Philippines have long lapsed in alleviating poverty in both countries. We attempt to elucidate these initiatives' operationalization by comparatively analyzing the two. Nevertheless, we contend that despite flawed and vulnerable operations, they aid impoverished households. Thisu paper aims to (a) examine the WCS as part of the poverty-reduction initiatives in Thailand and the 4PS in the Philippines, (b) assess its challenges in the implementation, and (c) comparatively analyze these initiatives’ efficiency. This paper uses new public administration theory to further understand the delivery and operationalization of the poverty alleviation initiatives in both Thailand and the Philippines by closely looking into the implementation of the programs. This paper utilizes a qualitative comparative case study design with secondary information from online databases to answer the research questions. The findings show that these initiatives have short-term positive effects on poor households as they provide subsidies for basic needs, financial and educational support, and transportation services; however, these so-called poverty alleviation initiatives did not genuinely aid Thailand and the Philippines in diminishing the entirety of poverty.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Graduate Review of Political Science and Public Administration Journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) licence, unless otherwise stated. Please read our Policies page for more information...
References
Bangkok Post. (2017). Welfare Card System Is Condescending. Bangkok Post. https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1350491/welfare-card-system-is-condescending
Bangkok Post. (2023, March 1). 14.6m Low-Income People Newly Approved for Welfare Cards. Bangkok Post. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2517295/14-6m-low-income-people-newly-approved-for-welfare-cards#
Bongon, R. (2015, February). I’m a 4Ps Scholar. Philippine Institute for Development Studies. https://www.pids.gov.ph/details/i-m-a-4ps-scholar
Buenaagua, V. (2022, October 17). Missing the Mark on 4Ps. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/voices/imho/opinion-missing-mark-4ps-poverty-program/CEIC Data. (2023). Thailand Unemployment Rate. CEIC. https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/thailand/unemployment-rate
Chuensukjit, K. (2023, July 25). State Welfare Cardholders to Have More Choices for Public Transport. Thai PBS World. https://www.thaipbsworld.com/state-welfare-card-holders-to-have-more-choices-for-public-transp ort/
dela Torre, B. (2016). Financing Education Through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 6(5), 99-108. https://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol_6_No_5_May_2016/13.pdf
Department of Social Welfare Development. (2020). 4Ps annual report 2020. Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. https://pantawid.dswd.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/4Ps-Annual-Report-2020-compressed.pdf
Diaz, R. (2021, March 13). Effects of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and other Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Programs of Low and Middle–Income Countries on Human Development. Sapienza: International Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2(1), 2-11. https://www.journals.sapienzaeditorial.com/index.php/SIJIS/article/view/16/16
Dungog-Cuizon, A. L., Cuizon, C. B. D., & Jardin, R. (2021). Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT): 4Ps in the Lens of Philippine Decentralization. Luz y Saber, 15(2), 55-66. https://ejournals.ph/article.php?id=17199
Durongkaveroj, D. (2022). Cash Subsidies for the Poor: Evaluating Thailand’s Welfare Card Scheme. Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University. https://acde.crawford.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/publication/acde_crawford_anu_edu_au/2022-08/acde_td_durongkaveroj_2022_10_final.pdf
Frederickson, H.G. (1980). New Public Administration. University Alabama Press.
Frederickson, H.G. (1996). Comparing the Reinventing Government Movement with the New Public Administration. Public Administration Review, 56(3), 263-270. https://doi.org/10.2307/976450
Frederickson, H.G., Smith, K.B., Larimer, C., & Licari, M.J. (2016). The Public Administration Theory Primer (3rd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429494369
Jandaeng, B., Kosolkittiamporn, S., & Kenaphoom, S. (2019). State Welfare Card Policy and Measures to Develop the Quality of Life of State Welfare Card Holders. Rajapark Journal, 13(31), 1-13. https://so05.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/RJPJ/article/view/157217
Kanmalay, N., Sawatwong, M., Chanphong, T., Pholson, P., & Kodkong, N. (2022). Welfare Card of the State and Citizens. Journal of Legal Entity Management and Local Innovation, 8(9), 362-372. https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jsa-journal/article/view/254878/178263
Lalu, G. P. (2022, April 26). De Lima Wants Probe of Alleged Lapses in 4Ps Implementation. INQUIRER.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1587968/de-lima-wants-probe-of-alleged-lapses-in-4ps-implementation#ixzz8MKt6r8Lk
Lamidi, K. O. (2015). Theories of Public Administration: An Anthology of Essays. International Journal of Politics and Good Governance, VI (6.3 Quarter III), 1-35. https://onlineresearchjournals.com/ijopagg/art/182.pdf
Landbank of the Philippines. (n.d.). Cash Transfer Program. Landbank. https://www.landbank.com/images/inner_template/1596183349_Collection%20and%20Disbursement%20Services%20for%20the%20National%20Government.pdf
Macasero, R. (2023, July 24). Marcos year 1: 45% of Filipinos Say They Feel Poor–SWS. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/filipinos-feel-poor-sws-survey-july-2023/
Official Gazette. (n.d). Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. Official Gazette. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/programs/conditional-cash-transfer/
Phattarasukkumjorn, W. (2021). Problems of Thai State Welfare Card in Its Policy Formulation Process. Burapha Journal of Political Economies, 9(2), 18-38. https://so01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/pegbuu/article/view/248102/169269
Reyes, D. (2022, October 14). 90% of 4Ps Families Still Poor, Says COA Report. Philippine Institute for Development Studies. https://www.pids.gov.ph/details/news/in-the-news/90-of-4ps-families-still-poor-says-coa-report
Salva, M., Ganir, F., Lacanilao, R. B., Simon, J. R., Torres, G. D., Yadao, M. E. G., & Yamag, V. P. (2023). Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program: An Assessment. International Journal of Research Studies in Education. 12(3), 1-16. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rose_Bella_Lacanilao/publication/370135617_Pantawid_pamilyang_Pilipino_program_An_assessment/links/645afcfd39c408339b37bbd6/Pantawid-pamilyang-Pilipino-program-An-assessment.pdf
Sy, J., Caimol, D., Magdalaga, S., & Gella, C. R. (2019, January 18). The benefits of 4P’s (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) Towards Academic Performance of Selected Senior High Students of Emiliano Tria Tirona Memorial National High School. Ascendens Asia Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Abstracts. 3(2I). https://ojs.aaresearchindex.com/index.php/AAJMRA/article/view/7406
Talimio, P., & Salagabang, M. (2019). Effectiveness of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program on Filipina Women Empowerment in Barangay 211, Zone 19, Lico Street, Tondo, Manila. Antorcha. 7(1), 13-20. https://research-manila.letran.edu.ph/read/122
The Nation. (2023, February 28). New Round of State Welfare Card Benefits to Cover 14.5 Million Thais. Asia News Network. https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40025272#
Tulfo, R. (2022, July 25). Problems with 4Ps. Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2022/07/26/2197962/problems-4ps
United Nations. (n.d.). Ending Poverty. United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/ending-poverty
World Bank. (2017, July 10). FAQs about the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/philippines/brief/faqs-about-the-pantawid-pamilyan g-pilipino-program
World Bank. (2023). The World Bank in Thailand. World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/thailand/overview
Yang, J., Wang, S., & Dewina, R. (2020). Taking the Pulse of Poverty and Inequality in Thailand. World Bank Group. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/614661586924075867/pdf/Taking-the-Pulse-of-Poverty-and-Inequality-in-Thailand.pdf