The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS), a program under the Department of Social Welfare and Development, turned over projects worth P11.6 million in Escalante City, Negros Occidental, May 21.
The turnover of projects was led by Undersecretary Alan Tanjusay of the Office of the Undersecretary for Inclusive and Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns, DSWD6 Promotive Services Division OIC, chief Judith Barredo, and Silverio Von Maguad III of the Kalahi-CIDSS deputy regional program, and received by Escalante City Mayor Melecio Yap Jr. and the operations and maintenance group of the respective barangays.
The projects were funded through the Kalahi-CIDSS Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA), and covered 13 subprojects in 13 barangays of Escalante.
These include solar streetlights and a road construction project expected to benefit 3,240 households. The Kalahi-CIDSS provided a grant of P11.4 million, while the local government unit contributed more than P200,000 as counterpart.
The DSWD in Western Visayas also said it has released P62.8 million for 20,942 near poor families, as it launched the AKAP, or Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program, in the region May 18.
“AKAP is for low-income earners, particularly those who are receiving minimum wage rate so that they will not fall back to poverty when they experienced economic shocks,” Atty. Carmelo Nochete, DSWD6 regional director, said in a statement.
Negros Occidental beneficiaries got the bulk of the amount disbursed, at P29.8 million; followed by Iloilo at P12.2 million; Capiz, P9.7 million; Antique, P7.1 million; and Aklan, P4.2 million.
As to the beneficiaries, there were 9,781 from Negros Occidental, 4,078 in Iloilo, 3,249 in Capiz, 2,394 in Antique, and 1,440 in Aklan. Each recipient received P3,000 in cash aid, the DSWD said.
It added that the payout for Guimaras and some areas in Iloilo province are yet to be scheduled since a deduplication of beneficiaries is ongoing.
“Deduplication is necessary to ensure that recipients of AKAP are not beneficiaries of 4Ps and the social pension for the elderly as per the guidelines,” the DSWD explained.
Total target for Region VI is P73.4-million disbursement for 24,476 recipients. Almost 80 percent of the target disbursement was attained during the launching, and the DSWD said it will immediately complete the distribution in Guimaras and some areas in Iloilo.
AKAP is targeted to help beneficiaries, who are in the low income category, such as those whose income do not exceed the statutory minimum wage.
“We are glad that, this time, the near poor, who are also contributing to our economy, get the assistance from the government,” Nochete said.
A total of P26.7 billion has been earmarked for AKAP’s implementation nationwide this year. This financial assistance aims to protect the purchasing power of Filipino families, specifically targeting beneficiaries whose income do not exceed the statutory minimum wage and are severely affected by the rising inflation, the DSWD said. ||
