THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said the mechanism it would use for the distribution of the P1,000 cash aid per month is still being finalized, Social Welfare assistant secretary Mel Lopez said yesterday.
Lopez, during government network PTV 4’s public briefing, said they have to ensure if the conditional cash transfer (CCT) or the targeted cash transfer (TCT) would be used.
He said the DSWD is still waiting for the fund for the P2,000 cash assistance to the poorest of the poor — or P1,000 per month for two months — to be downloaded to the department before it could set up a date for distribution.
“We need to finalize first if UCT or TCT would be used for programs and distribution of our assistance. Usually, the government taps the savings of an agency for the program,” he said when asked about the source of the funding for the subsidy.
Lopez said it is likely that those with cash cards would be the first to receive the payout while those without cash cards would be able to receive it by manual payout.
Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the government has already identified its potential source of funds and will soon provide a P2,000 cash assistance, or P1,000 per month for two months, to the poorest of the poor to ease the impact of the rising inflation.
Meanwhile, the DSWD warned elders or senior citizens to be wary of text scammers and phishing anew, as Lopez denied that the department is releasing “unclaimed relief allowance.”
He said elders, and even other beneficiaries of the DSWD, who were unable to claim the subsidies or cash assistance awarded to them will be informed through phone calls or official representatives from the department of the barangays to inform them, and not by text messages.
“To our senior citizens, if you did not apply to any programs, if you have not been interviewed by an employee of DSWD, but received a text or invitation, disregard it as it is a hundred percent bogus. That is what you call phishing to get your details,” Lopez said.
REPAYING PUBLIC SUPPORT
In Mandaue City, President Marcos Jr. yesterday vowed he would repay the people’s full and unwavering support to his administration with sufficient government aid to improve their lives.
“We will not stop, I cannot forget the warmth of your support, I cannot forget that. That’s why I always think about the support and the affection that I receive from you. I have to pay back. And if it takes the rest of my life, I will happily spend the rest of my life paying it back to you,” the President said.
Marcos, who visited Cebu for the first time since being elected president in May 2022, thanked the people for their votes and continued support.
He led the distribution of various government assistance to almost 3,000 beneficiaries, which include P5,000 cash and family food packs to 600 recipients under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Program; P3.65 million worth of livelihood aide to three cooperatives under the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE’s) Integrated Livelihood Program; P9.8 million worth of livelihood assistance under DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) which benefitted 2,257 beneficiaries who received P4,350 each; P8,000 cash to 20 recipients under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) turned over Livelihood and Financial Assistance; and P109 million worth of seeds and machineries to the provincial government of Cebu and P1.08 million under the Department of Agriculture’s Corn Banner Program.
