According to the study, about one third of the identified programs are focused on labor market and employment, it also shows maturity across the other SP pillars. The country has achieved a relatively good coverage of the poor and extreme poor by its social welfare schemes and has proven resilient to changes in administration. But while there is increasing coverage for the poor and traditionally adequate protection for those in the formal sector, those who are mostly employed in the informal sector lack adequate protection and inclusion in risk insurance schemes. 36 Since most of the programs are designed to reach the poorest and vulnerable population, there has been a serious commitment to the level of spending for social protection. SP expenditure has increased from 2009 to 2017, averaging .9% of the GDP or approximately 5.9% of the national government expenditure. 37 For the descriptive purposes of the study, the World Bank zeroed in on six core programs of the Social Protection umbrella of the country. These programs were selected as they represented a cross-section of the SP strategy. 38 Annex 2.1 shows the six programs chosen for in-depth assessment. Looking at the six programs selected for in-depth assessment, we can see that most of the programs are in the social welfare/social assistance pillar. These programs target the poorest of the poor of the population living in high-poverty areas. This appears consistent considering the poverty profile of the nation. Although it does highlight the glaring disparity between social risk insurance schemes meant for the poor and those of the middle class, including those belonging to the informal sector. Some new programs are specifically tackling this issue, AlkanSSSya from the Social Security System (SSS) is such a program. Recognizing the informal sector as an economic contributor and employment generator, SSS deemed it necessary to extend social security coverage to this sector. In 2011, the SSS Las Piñas Branch 36 Conclusion, "Social Protection Review and Assessment" by Acosta, P. Yemtsov, R. Honorati, M. Velarde, R. and Avalos J. (2018) on behalf of International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank 37 Overall 3.1, “A Public Expenditure Review of Social Protection Programs in the Philippines”, available from https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1831.pdf (6 June 2019) 38 Annex A, "Social Protection Review and Assessment" 11

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