₱1.2-B amelioration grant for Bacolod’s low-income families

By Dolly Yasa

Bacolod City – About 103,658 low-income families in this city will share in the ₱1.2-billion social amelioration grant from the national government based on the guidelines of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

A press statement from the City Mayor’s Office released Sunday said that the DSWD determined the number of beneficiary-families covered by the grant.

The number excludes 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) beneficiaries who already have 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 at P6,000 per month per qualified family for two months.

It will be doled out in two tranches – first in April then in May. Qualified families will receive P12,000 in two months as mandated by Republic Act 11469 (Bayanihan to Heal as One Act).

Meanwhile, Mayor Evelio  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 last Thursday to inform them of their roles and duties under the program.

Leonardia ordered the village chiefs to submit their final lists 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 (like labandera or laundry helpers); 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 (like 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 who are not 4Ps beneficiaries 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.