LEGAZPI CITY -– The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office here has started to distribute cash subsidy to poor households identified thru the “Listahanan” scheme as recipients of the Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) program in all local government units (LGUs) in Bicol.
DSWD Regional Director Arnel Garcia, in an interview Tuesday, said a total of 102,853 indigent families are set to receive the cash aid of PHP2,400 each.
He said the assistance is a measure to help cushion the effects of the rising prices of commodities on the poor.
“The program provides one-time unconditional cash grant of PHP2,400 equivalent to 200 per month this year and this will increase to PHP3,600 or PHP300 per month in the succeeding two years (2019-2020),” he added.
Garcia advised the beneficiaries to submit one photocopy of a valid government-issued ID as a requirement for the release of their subsidies.
Authorized representatives are also required to bring documents to establish their relationships (e.g. marriage and/or birth certificates) together with the authorization letter issued by the beneficiary.
The payouts are being coordinated with the local government units (LGUs) and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).
LGUs are responsible for disseminating information on payout schedule to the beneficiaries thru the barangay officials and provision of venue and other logistics for the payout, while the LBP is responsible for the distribution of cash grants to the beneficiaries.
Formerly known as the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR), “Listahanan” is an information management system that identifies who and where the poor are in the country. It serves as the baseline for the identification of potential beneficiaries of the government’s social protection programs. (Connie Calipay/PNA)
