By Brian Campued
Filipinos in middle-class households as well as minimum wage earners can be eligible for cash aid under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said.
In a news release Thursday, DSWD Policy and Planning Group Usec. Adonis Sulit clarified that while the AICS prioritizes public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers, any Filipino citizen affected by the surging fuel prices can avail of the cash relief assistance.
“The cash relief assistance na ipinatutupad ng DSWD, ito po ‘yung emergency scheme namin para i-address ‘yun ngang ayon sa gobyerno ay mostly affected noong nagsimula ang gulo sa Middle East,” Sulit said during the Senate Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy (PROTECT) Committee hearing on April 13.
“Ang cash assistance na pinapamigay ng DSWD ay isang social protection intervention. Being part of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, lahat po ng individual whether poor or middle income ay pwede pong mag access ng program na ito,” he added.
Usec. Sulit likewise stressed that the DSWD recognizes the impact of the global oil crisis on all Filipinos, not just the transport sector—hence, the agency is exploring “vertical” and “horizontal” expansion strategies for its social protection programs during times of crisis.
According to the DSWD official, the vertical expansion aims to increase the amount of cash assistance under existing programs while the horizontal strategy refers to increasing the actual number of beneficiaries.
Further, Sulit said the first tranche of the cash aid for PUV drivers under AICS is expected to be completed by the end of April, while they are eyeing to roll out the second tranche through digital methods.
The Department of Finance (DOF) earlier said that proposals to benefit the middle class amid the energy emergency are now being discussed under the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Committee, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Malacañang also emphasized that the government is open to measures that would benefit the public, including the middle class, reiterating the President’s previous statement that “nothing is off the table” when it comes to the administration’s approach to tackling the current challenges.
-jpv
