The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Eastern Visayas on Tuesday clarified that local government units (LGUs) have no role in selecting beneficiaries of the government’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) program.
DSWD Eastern Visayas Regional Director Grace Subong said in an interview that the list of beneficiaries was based solely on validated data provided by authorized national government agencies.
“As you may have noticed, our data comes directly from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Not a single record came from local government officials,” Subong told reporters.
She explained that the DSWD relies on data from the PSA, which identifies households classified as poor, near-poor, and above the poverty threshold, as well as records from the Social Security System to determine qualified low-income earners.
Subong stressed that LGUs are only tasked with informing the public about the program and assisting in the dissemination of information.
“The LGUs’ role is simply to inform the public that this program exists and help disseminate information,” she said.
The clarification came as the DSWD launched on Monday the regional implementation of the UPLIFT program, distributing the first tranche of cash assistance to 17,219 beneficiaries across 12 cities and municipalities in Eastern Visayas.
Subong said the regional rollout serves as the initial phase of the program to ensure its smooth implementation before expanding the distribution to additional municipalities in the region.
The national government allocated PHP86.095 million for the initial rollout, covering 17,219 beneficiaries or about 20 percent of the region’s target recipients.
Qualified beneficiaries will receive PhP2,000 in monthly cash assistance from July to December. However, beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and the Walang Gutom Program are entitled to just a one-time assistance.
The UPLIFT program is a national government initiative that provides emergency financial assistance to poor, near-poor, and low-income households affected by rising fuel and energy costs. (PNA)
