By Zaldy de Layola | Philippine News Agency
More than 5.39 million poor, near-poor, and low-income households have benefited from the Marcos Jr. administration’s Unified Package for Livelihood, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Assistance, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Monday.
DSWD Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the agency has distributed the initial P2,000 assistance to 73% of the program’s beneficiaries, with total disbursements reaching more than P10.791 billion.
ASec. Dumlao expounded, “Ibig sabihin po nito ay limang milyon na pong sambahayan ang natulungan na ating gobyerno, sa pangunguna ng ating Pangulo, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., para maibsan ang epekto ng pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin at pangunahing serbisyo dahil sa nangyayaring kaguluhan sa sa Gitnang Silangan.”
Of the total, 3,200,583 households under Group 1 have received the one-time P2,000 top-up assistance, consisting of beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Walang Gutom Program (WGP).
She emphasized, “Uulitin po namin, isang beses lang po makatatanggap ng UPLIFT ang mga benepisyaryo ng 4Ps at WGP. Ito ay top-up sa natatanggap nilang benepisyo sa 4Ps at WGP.”
For Group 2, 1,391,849 beneficiaries have received their July UPLIFT assistance, while 802,216 low-income Social Security System members under Group 3 have received their first P2,000 cash assistance.
The DSWD official concluded, “Pinipilit po natin na matapos na agad ang payout para sa Group 2, ito ‘yung poor at near-poor households na galing sa 2024 Community-Based Monitoring System of the Philippine Statistics Authority. Sila ‘yung kailangan na i-manual payout para sa unang buwan pero digital payout na sa mga susunod na buwan hanggang December.” (PNA)
