7.5 million beneficiaries soon to get cash aid

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development is now ready to facilitate the cash transfers to assist around 7.5 million beneficiaries in coping with the continuing effects of high inflation, following the release of the additional funds for the department.

DSWD spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Romel M. Lopez said each beneficiary will receive a total of P1,000 and another batch of cash transfers for two months will be granted to the targeted Filipino households through the TCT program.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) earlier announced the approval of the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) amounting to P7.6 billion, which will be utilized by the DSWD for the continuation of the TCT program.

“The DSWD has set mechanisms to implement the TCT program in a timely manner. We hope that through this additional funding, we will be able to help our kababayans for their daily subsistence,” Lopez said.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. instructed the concerned agencies to continue the implementation of the TCT program to assist vulnerable and needy citizens, who are in most need of support from the government.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian has expressed the Department’s appreciation to the TCT Inter-Agency Committee, that includes the DSWD, DBM, the Department of Finance (DOF), and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) for prioritizing the budget allocation for the continuous implementation of the TCT program.

TCT is a government program that helps to provide financial assistance to low-income households.

The DSWD is responsible for the implementation of the TCT program.

The TCT program is a conditional cash transfer program that aims to reduce poverty by providing grants to poor households, on the condition that they comply with certain requirements such as sending their children to school and having regular health check-ups. —/GMR (FREEMAN)