BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – The Department of Social Welfare and Development has determined that 103,658 low-income families in Bacolod City will be sharing the ₱1.2 billion social amelioration grant from the national government, a press release from the Bacolod City PIO said.
The guidelines were set by the social welfare agency.
This number excludes 4Ps beneficiaries who already have their own separate funding assistance, and families covered by social amelioration packages of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The funding grant, to be released by the DSWD for distribution, is set at P6,000 per month per qualified family for 2 months; to be doled out in 2 tranches – one within April, and the other within May.
Thus, qualified families will receive a total of P12,000 within 2 months, as mandated by RA 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.
A teleconference was held April 1, Wednesday, between DSWD Assistant Regional Director Delia Villa-Bagolcol with Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia and the governors and mayors of Western Visayas concerning the amelioration grant guidelines.
Meanwhile, Leonardia together with Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, DILG-Bacolod City Director Ma. Joy Maredith Madayag, DSSD-Bacolod Head Pacita Tero, Administrative Officer Federico Guanzon Jr, Executive Assistant Butch Soliguen, and Sally Abelarde of DSSD-Bacolod conducted meetings with Punong Barangays, April 2, Thursday, to inform them of their roles and duties under this program.
According to DSWD instructions, the city officials will determine the number of family-beneficiaries per barangay while the barangay captains will identify the family-beneficiaries in their respective jurisdictions. Leonardia ordered the Punong Barangays to submit their final listing of the beneficiary-families on Tuesday (April 7).
“We will strictly implement the distribution of this social amelioration assistance according to DSWD guidelines, rules and procedures,” Leonardia said.
Target beneficiaries are Informal Economy Workers, specifically those directly hired or occasional workers (labandera); subcontracted workers; homeworkers (family enterprise making crafts, delicacies); househelpers and family drivers; drivers of pedicab, tricycle, PUJs, PUVs, PUBs, taxi, and transport network companies’ registered vehicles; transport network vehicle service drivers (grab drivers).
Also included are micro-entrepreneurs and producers; operators of sari-sari stores (asset size less land is less than P100K and has employees less than 5); family enterprise owners (carinderia owners, fruit/vegetable vendors, RTW); sub-minimum wage earners (dishwashers or helpers in carinderias); farmers – not 4Ps and not covered by the DA’s Social Amelioration Package; employees affected by “no work, no pay,” and stranded workers.
Pacita Tero, head of DSSD-Bacolod, said that those who are not covered by this amelioration program of the DSWD can access help either from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) or the Department of Agriculture (DA).
President Duterte had earlier announced that the government has set aside P275 billion to help low-income families across the country affected by the COVID-19 crisis. This grant to Bacolod is part of this fund allocation.*/CITY PIO
