DSWD says P100B ready for release; poorest first

April 4 ------ The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday said it had received the first P100 billion of the P200 billion worth of emergency subsidy or cash aid to about 18 million poor families affected by the Luzon quarantine due to the new coronavirus pandemic. Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista said the money received from the Department of Budget and Management was “good for one month.”

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday said it had received the first P100 billion of the P200 billion worth of emergency subsidy or cash aid to about 18 million poor families affected by the Luzon quarantine due to the new coronavirus pandemic. Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista said the money received from the Department of Budget and Management was “good for one month.”

The beneficiaries are to receive subsidies of P5,000 to P8,000 per household monthly for two months. The first to receive the cash assistance are the 4.2 million beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) since they have been verified and do not need to go through additional vetting, Bautista said. During Thursday’s daily Laging Handa briefing by the government, Bautista also said that contrary to an earlier pronouncement by the DSWD, the social amelioration package would be given entirely in cash and not a combination of cash and food packs.

“If a family receives food packs, the amount of said food pack will not be deducted from their cash benefit,” he said. But that also means those who will qualify for the social amelioration program will not be prioritized in the food distribution.

Source: inquirer.net