Manila: More than 978,000 low-income members of the Social Security System (SSS) have received the PHP2,000 Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) assistance to help cushion the impact of the energy emergency, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) announced Monday. The financial aid is part of a broader initiative to support those affected by rising commodity prices.
According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao explained on PTV4's Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon program that these beneficiaries are part of Group 3 of the UPLIFT assistance program. This initiative is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to provide immediate financial support to vulnerable families, transport workers, and low-income individuals.
Group 3 includes employed low-income earners with a Monthly Salary Credit below PHP20,000 who have made at least one contribution to the SSS in 2025 or 2026 and have an active SSS disbursement account. The SSS is responsible for directly disbursing the financial assistance to the bank or disbursement accounts of qualified beneficiaries.
Eligible Group 3 beneficiaries will receive PHP2,000 monthly for six consecutive months until December, as part of the nationwide rollout of the subsidy program for low-income households. Dumlao stated that more than 4.4 million households have already received the PHP2,000 UPLIFT assistance for the month of July.
Additionally, under Group 1, over 2.8 million households enrolled in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) received a one-time PHP2,000 subsidy through cash cards, alongside more than 214,000 recipient households under the Walang Gutom Program. Meanwhile, more than 417,000 households under Group 2 have received their initial payouts, with a target to reach 2.5 million poor and near-poor families based on the 2024 Community-Based Monitoring System data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Dumlao emphasized the ongoing effort to ensure all identified beneficiaries receive assistance aimed at mitigating the effects of the Middle East conflict and the subsequent energy concerns. Group 2 beneficiaries will also receive PHP2,000 monthly for six months, with payments transferred directly to their nominated bank accounts, cash cards, or electronic wallets registered during initial local government unit payout schedules.
"This targeted UPLIFT assistance ensures that identified individuals receive aid to alleviate the ongoing energy emergency without the need for application or office visits," Dumlao concluded.
