The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Negros Island Region (DSWD NIR) has wrapped up its initial Unified Package for Livelihood, Industry, Food, and Transport Assistance (Uplift) payout for Group 2 beneficiaries, with 141,421 beneficiaries receiving P2,000 each, or P282,842,000 in total financial assistance, as of Aug. 21.
Group 2 beneficiaries are those identified through the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) of the Philippine Statistics Authority.
The completion of the initial payout marks a significant milestone in the region-wide implementation of Uplift, the DSWD-NIR said.
The agency is also preparing for the additional 67,000 beneficiaries, who are set to receive assistance under the succeeding rollout of the program.
Throughout the initial payout, DSWD-NIR worked closely with local government units (LGUs), district representatives, and partner-agencies to facilitate beneficiary validation, information dissemination, and the efficient delivery of assistance.
Personnel from various DSWD programs and units were likewise augmented to support LGUs with large beneficiary populations and ensure an orderly payout. “With the additional beneficiaries to be served, DSWD-NIR is now strengthening its coordination and preparations for the next phase of implementation, including the validation of beneficiary information, coordination with partner LGUs, and dissemination of payout schedules and requirements.”
Meanwhile, total assistance provided by the DSWD, under the emergency cash transfer (ECT), for eligible beneficiaries affected by the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation in the Negros Island Region has reached P161,714,250, also as of Aug. 21.
The payouts covered 43 cities and towns in the region, including 28 in Negros Occidental and 15 in Negros Oriental.
Each beneficiary from Negros Occidental received P10,325, and P10,125 in Negros Oriental. These include 71,811 sugarcane farmers and 90,863 sugarcane laborers.
In Murcia, ECT assistance amounting to P24.4 million was distributed to 2,366 qualified beneficiaries in the town Aug. 23, also to help farmers and landowners affected by the RSSI infestation. ||
