DSWD-6 to monitor use of P15K subsidy to rice traders

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Rice traders who were recipients of the P15,000 cash subsidy will be monitored to ensure that the aid was properly utilized.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Region 6 said that the agency’s monitoring will be limited to checking how the subsidy will be utilized based on the traders’ expressed plans.

If there are findings that indicate otherwise, DSWD-6 information officer Atty, May Rago-Castillo said they could submit a report to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

To date, subsidy for rice retailers in Western Visayas has now reached P37.5 million.

In its report, the DSWD-6, through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), has disbursed the SLP-Economic Relief Subsidy (SLP-ERS) to 2,504 micro rice retailers and sari-sari store owners identified by the DTI-6.

There have been three payouts since Sept. 13, 2023.

The first round of payouts comprised 251 recipients, the second with 967 recipients, and the third round included 1,286 recipients.

The one-time cash grant of P15,000 was provided to micro rice retailers who were adversely affected by the imposition of price ceilings on rice, as per Executive Order 39, series of 2023.

The subsidy recipients include both registered and unregistered micro rice retailers operating in wet markets, public markets, and other areas accessible to the public and sari-sari store owners.

Iloilo province has the most number of recipients with 672 while Negros Occidental has 561.

There were 414 rice retailers-beneficiaries from Aklan; Capiz with 358; Antique with 339; Guimaras with 128; and Iloilo City with only 32.