<![CDATA[Program Keluarga Harapan (PKH) merupakan instrumen perlindungan sosial yang bertujuan meningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakat miskin melalui pelayanan publik yang berkualitas. Namun, masih terdapat kesenjangan antara tujuan pemberdayaan PKH dan implementasinya di lapangan, khususnya kecenderungan sebagian penerima manfaat usia produktif memaknai bantuan sebagai sumber pendapatan tetap. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis dinamika pelayanan publik dalam penyaluran PKH, mengungkap pengalaman subjektif penerima manfaat, serta memaknai bantuan PKH bagi lansia dan masyarakat miskin usia produktif di Desa Bulukarto, Kabupaten Pringsewu. Penelitian menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan pendekatan fenomenologi. Data diperoleh melalui observasi, wawancara mendalam, dan dokumentasi terhadap tujuh informan yang dipilih secara purposive, terdiri atas pendamping PKH, aparatur desa, penerima manfaat lansia, penerima manfaat usia produktif, dan KPM graduasi mandiri. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pelayanan PKH telah berjalan secara sistematis, namun masih menghadapi kendala administratif dan teknis, seperti ketidaksesuaian data kependudukan, data ganda, dan antrean pencairan bantuan. Pendamping PKH berperan penting dalam membentuk pengalaman pelayanan yang positif. Lansia memaknai PKH sebagai penopang kebutuhan dasar, sedangkan sebagian penerima manfaat usia produktif masih memandang PKH sebagai sumber pendapatan tetap akibat rendahnya pendidikan, terbatasnya kesempatan kerja, dan minimnya program pemberdayaan berkelanjutan. Penelitian ini berkontribusi dengan memberikan pemahaman fenomenologis mengenai pengalaman penerima manfaat serta menegaskan pentingnya penguatan pelayanan yang lebih inklusif dan integrasi PKH dengan program pemberdayaan ekonomi untuk mendukung kemandirian masyarakat. The Family Hope Program (PKH) is a social protection program designed to improve the welfare of poor households through quality public service delivery. However, a gap remains between the program's empowerment objectives and its implementation, particularly as some working-age beneficiaries perceive PKH as a permanent source of income rather than a means of achieving self-reliance. This study aims to analyze the dynamics of public service delivery in the implementation of PKH, explore beneficiaries' lived experiences, and examine the meaning of PKH assistance for elderly and working-age poor beneficiaries in Bulukarto Village, Pringsewu Regency. This study employed a qualitative method using a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation involving seven purposively selected informants, including a PKH facilitator, village officials, elderly beneficiaries, working-age beneficiaries, and a self-graduated beneficiary. The findings indicate that PKH services have been implemented systematically but continue to face administrative and technical challenges, including inconsistent population data, duplicate records, and long queues during benefit disbursement. Responsive facilitators play a crucial role in creating positive service experiences. Elderly beneficiaries perceive PKH as essential support for meeting basic needs, while some working-age beneficiaries still regard it as a permanent income source due to low educational attainment, limited employment opportunities, and insufficient sustainable empowerment programs. This study contributes to the literature by providing a phenomenological understanding of beneficiaries' experiences and emphasizing the importance of more inclusive public services and the integration of PKH with economic empowerment programs to promote sustainable community self-reliance.]]>
