The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that more than 5.57 million poor, near-poor, and low-income households nationwide have received financial assistance under the Unified Package for Livelihood, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) program.
DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said that the continued rollout of the cash aid is meant to cushion families from rising prices and prevent vulnerable households from falling deeper into poverty.
“Patuloy po ang pamamahagi ng ating gobyerno ng cash assistance sa ilalim ng UPLIFT program para maibsan ang epekto ng pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin,” Dumlao said.
She added that the government is working to ensure assistance reaches beneficiaries as quickly and efficiently as possible.
According to the DSWD, the beneficiaries are divided into three groups. Group 1 covers 3,201,142 households enrolled in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the Walang Gutom Program (WGP), each of which has received ₱2,000 in cash assistance.
Group 2 consists of 1,575,893 beneficiaries identified as poor and near-poor households through official government records.
Group 3 covers 802,216 low-income members of the Social Security System (SSS) who have also received their cash aid.
The UPLIFT Assistance program is an emergency social protection initiative designed to provide targeted financial support to poor and low-income Filipinos amid rising fuel costs and inflation affecting basic commodities.
Dumlao said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian want to ensure that vulnerable Filipinos are not left behind during periods of economic difficulty.
The DSWD said it will continue distributing assistance to remaining qualified beneficiaries nationwide while improving its programs and services.
