TABUK CITY, Kalinga – A total of ₱1.64 million in cash assistance will be distributed to 820 poor and near-poor households in Kalinga under the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) program.
Each beneficiary will receive ₱2,000 to help cushion the impact of rising fuel prices and the increasing cost of basic commodities.
The UPLIFT program is a national government initiative that aims to assist 7.5 million poor, near-poor, and low-income households nationwide in coping with inflation and rising energy costs.
According to the DSWD, beneficiaries are grouped into three categories: Bucket 1, which covers beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Walang Gutom Program; Bucket 2, which consists of poor and near-poor households identified through the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS); and Bucket 3, which includes qualified Social Security System (SSS) members cross-matched with the CBMS.
In an interview with Guru Press, DSWD Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Team Leader Lorna C. Lumioan said cash assistance for beneficiaries from the Tricycle Operators and Drivers' Association (TODA) has already been completed, allowing the agency to focus on Bucket 2 beneficiaries.
She explained that the 820 beneficiaries were identified through the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and validated through cross-matching by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) and the DSWD.
"Naibigay na natin ang cash relief assistance for the TODA in the municipalities and city. Ngayon naman ay para sa mga poor and near-poor households. The beneficiaries under UPLIFT Bucket 2 came from the CBMS conducted by the PSA and were cross-matched by DEPDev and DSWD. We have identified 820 poor and near-poor households in the Province of Kalinga that will receive financial assistance," Lumioan said.
Lumioan said the payout is being conducted over two days to accommodate the extensive validation process and prevent duplication of beneficiaries.
She explained that recipients must undergo verification using their PhilSys National ID, while their financial accounts, including GCash or Land Bank accounts, are also validated through the government's BBM Serbisyo platform before the cash assistance is released.
"We clustered the beneficiaries because the validation process is very tedious. We need to ensure there is no duplication with Bucket 1 beneficiaries. We also have to verify their PhilSys IDs and financial institution accounts through the BBM Serbisyo website," she said.
Lumioan expressed hope that the assistance, although modest, would help families cope with rising fuel prices and increasing household expenses.
"Fuel prices continue to increase, and this assistance, though small, will help beneficiaries buy basic necessities, especially rice, and support the schooling of their children," she added.
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