San jose de buenavista: Recipients of the government's expanded Unified Package for Livelihood, Industry, Food and Transport (UPLIFT) program in this capital town of Antique will prioritize food and other family needs using their PHP2,000 cash aid. The 200 initial beneficiaries from San Jose de Buenavista gathered at the town's Barangay 2 Gymnasium for the nationwide kickoff.

According to Philippines News Agency, beneficiary Hermis Huera, a 35-year-old resident of Barangay Atabay, depends on his daily income as a tricycle driver to support his five children. Huera mentioned that their family is not included in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and Walang Gutom initiative of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. "I am glad that our family is a recipient of the UPLIFT cash assistance because I will have some amount to buy our food and for the school supplies of my children," he stated in the dialect.

Another beneficiary, Vilma Bayombong, 77, from Barangay 5, plans to purchase rice for her two children who are living with her. "I will also buy milk and my needed medicines," she said.

Antique Social Welfare and Development Team Leader Darlene Abagat stated that nearly 9,000 poor and near-poor households throughout the province are included in the program. "We are going to have a payout also in the 17 other municipalities of Antique after San Jose de Buenavista," she added. Abagat explained that the UPLIFT payout on Monday was for households that belong to Group 2 or poor and near poor, identified through the Community-Based Monitoring System of the Philippine Statistics Authority.