Gov’t approves additional P1-B for OFW cash aid program

May 26 ------ The government has approved the release of an additional P1 billion for the financial assistance program for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) displaced by the coronavirus pandemic. The latest fund allocation will be used to augment the P1.5 billion-COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong (AKAP) program to assist more affected OFWs, President Duterte said in his latest weekly report to Congress.

The welfare program, initiated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), provides each OFW beneficiary a one-time cash subsidy amounting to $200 or P10,000, or its equivalent in the local currency of the host country. “There is a further increase in the number of target beneficiaries under CAMP-AKAP (150,000 to 250,000). An additional P1 billion budget was approved,” the President said in his report.

So far, Duterte said the labor department has spent P1.254 billion that benefited 122,910 displaced OFWs. With the revised P2.5 billion-program, the estimated total OFW beneficiaries will reach 250,000, including 170,000 on-site OFWs and 80,000 repatriates. Apart from OFWs, the President said the labor department has spent P3.2 billion for financial aid for 657,201 formal workers affected by the coronavirus lockdown in the country. Another P1.213 billion was spent to provide livelihood assistance to 337,198 informal workers.

Emergency assistance

The President also updated Congress on other social amelioration programs to affected sectors. As of May 22, Duterte said around 17,458,076 million low-income families or 97.35 percent of the 17,933,769 million have benefited from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s assistance to individuals in crisis situation program (AICS). At least P100.6 billion has been disbursed so far.

The beneficiaries include 4,210,622 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, 13,185,426 non-4Ps families, and 62,028 public utility drivers in Metro Manila. He said the Department of the Interior and Local Government continues to monitor the compliance of local government units in the distribution of the Social Amelioration Program aid to low-income families in their localities.

Around 5 million low-income households left out in the first tranche will be included in the next tranche of subsidy distribution. Of the 408 complaints filed on alleged anomalies in the aid distribution, Duterte said 83 officials and individuals have been charged criminally while the rest are still under investigation. In line with his directive to give a P30,000 incentive for information about any local government official pocketing or misusing funds, Duterte said the DILG has directed concerned DILG regional directors and Philippine National Police regional directors to to receive, act on, and verify complaints in their areas of jurisdictions.

Subsidy programs for farmers, small business workers

As of May 19, the Department of Agriculture has utilized P2.9 billion for the subsidy of 584,491 rice farmers. A total of P21.7 billion in cash grants has been released by the Social Security System to 2,816,682 employee-beneficiaries for the first tranche of the small business wage subsidy program as of May 20. From a total of 167,389 employer-applications under the program, 3.05 million employees or 90 percent of the target 3.4 million beneficiaries have been approved.

Consumer protection, assistance to stranded students

The President also reported that prices of basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPCs) have reverted to the suggested retail price after the 60-day nationwide price freeze ended last May 15. Based on the Department of Trade and Industry’s report, he said 90 percent of those monitored companies were compliant with the price freeze for basic goods until May 15 and the SRPs on the following days.

“Adequate supply of BNCPs was also noted this week with a 95 percent supply adequacy rate,” he said. He said the country’s supply of raw sugar and refined sugar stocks remain sufficient for four months and five months, respectively. As of May 22, Duterte said 570 students have benefited from the government’s program to bring home students stranded in campuses, dormitories and apartments.

Balik Probinsya

Around 116 beneficiaries have been assisted so far under the “Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program” with P5,000 cash assistance given per person. The beneficiaries were also given vegetable gardening starter kits from the Department of Agriculture, and will be provided with skills training by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Source: mb.com.ph