THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) yesterday said it expects to complete by September 29 the nationwide distribution of the P15,000 cash grant for small and micro rice retailers affected by the price ceiling on regular and well-milled rice imposed by Malacañang effective September 5.
The DSWD has initially targeted to complete the distribution of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP)-Cash Assistance for Micro Rice Retailers by September 14 (Thursday), a day before the election spending ban related to the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) takes effect on September 15.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has allowed the DSWD to continue distributing the SLP even during the election period, a privilege which Social Welfare Rex Gatchalian said gave the agency more days to finish the cash assistance distribution to retailers who failed to get their subsidy during the scheduled payout dates in their areas.
The payout of the P15,000 cash assistance started on September 9. On Wednesday, the DSWD started the distribution in the Visayas.
The DSWD said it would hold simultaneous payouts from September 15 to 29 to accommodate those who have yet to receive their financial aid.
The one-time cash grant aims to cushion the effects of the imposition of the price caps for regular (P41 per kilo) and well-milled (P45 per kilo) rice as mandated under Executive Order No. 39.
The DSWD represented by Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) represented by Undersecretary Carol Sanchez, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) represented by Undersecretary Marlo Iringan, met late Wednesday about the continuing implementation of the SLP until September 14 as scheduled and the planned payout for the rest of the month for micro-retailers who missed their payout schedules, as well as for sari-sari store owners who are listed as rice sellers in the database of the Business Permit and Licensing Offices (BPLOs) of local government units (LGUs).
The three agencies agreed to focus on their respective tasks, namely: continue to produce the clean list of beneficiaries for DTI, handle the logistics including information dissemination to beneficiaries on the payout dates for the DILG in partnership with the local government units, and continue conducting the payout activities for DSWD.
DSWD Field Office VI in Western Visayas kicked off the SLP distribution in the Visayas on Wednesday in Iloilo City in Iloilo province, and in Bacolod City in Negros Occidental.
DSWD VI Regional Director lawyer Carmelo Nochete said PP720,000 worth of cash grants were paid out during the “first batch” of cash distribution.
Aside from the DSWD regional director, also present during the payout in Iloilo were Iloilo City Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Executive Director Dennis Arpia, DTI OIC Regional Director Ermelinda Pollentes, and DSWD SLP-ERS Focal Person Mary Ann Masculino.
DSWD Assistant Regional Director for Operations Arwin Razo, along with DTI Assistant Regional Director Rachel Nufable, DA Assistant Regional Director engineer Jose Albert Barrogo, and Bacolod City Administrator lawyer Pacifico Maghari III led the payout in Negros Occidental.
In Marikina City, the local government announced it would grant tax incentives, relief and an additional P5,000 cash aid to rice retailers to help them cope with income losses due to the price cap.
Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said the city government has approved Ordinance no. 68 series 2023 which grants relief on rental payments to rice retailers at the Marikina Public Market.
“In consideration of the economic challenges due to the said imposition of a price ceiling, rice retailers who are renting stalls in the Marikina City Public Market, are hereby granted relief through the waiver of rental payments for the months of September and October 2023,” the ordinance read.
Teodoro also signed Ordinance No. 69 Series of 2023 exempting rice retailers in the city from paying business taxes on their gross sales or receipts for the third and fourth quarter of this year while the price cap is in effect. The exemption, however, does not cover supermarkets and convenience stores.
Teodoro likewise issued Ordinance No. 70 Series of 2023 which authorized the grant of an additional P5,000 cash assistance to the city’s rice vendors.
“To provide immediate financial relief to rice retailers affected by the price ceiling on rice, the City Government of Marikina shall extend cash assistance There are 149 rice retailers registered in the city’s BPLO which are expected to benefit from the cash aid from the city government. — With Christian Oineza
