Tacloban: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Eastern Visayas has clarified that local government units (LGUs) have no role in selecting beneficiaries for the government's Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) program.
According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD Eastern Visayas Regional Director Grace Subong stated in an interview that the list of beneficiaries is based solely on validated data provided by authorized national government agencies. "As you may have noticed, our data comes directly from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Not a single record came from local government officials," Subong told reporters.
She further explained that the DSWD relies on data from the PSA, which identifies households classified as poor, near-poor, and above the poverty threshold, and records from the Social Security System to determine qualified low-income earners. Subong emphasized that LGUs are only responsible for informing the public about the program and assisting in the dissemination of information. "The LGUs' role is simply to inform the public that this program exists and help disseminate information," she said.
The clarification came as the DSWD launched the regional implementation of the UPLIFT program on Monday, distributing the first tranche of cash assistance to 17,219 beneficiaries across 12 cities and municipalities in Eastern Visayas. Subong noted that the regional rollout serves as the initial phase of the program to ensure its smooth implementation before expanding distribution to additional municipalities in the region.
The national government has allocated PHP86.095 million for the initial rollout, covering 17,219 beneficiaries or about 20 percent of the region's target recipients. Qualified beneficiaries will receive PhP2,000 in monthly cash assistance from July to December. However, beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and the Walang Gutom Program are entitled to just a one-time assistance.
The UPLIFT program is a national government initiative providing emergency financial assistance to poor, near-poor, and low-income households affected by rising fuel and energy costs.
