DSWD gives P200, or P2,400 per year, to poor families

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) distributed P200 a month or P2,400 a year of unconditional cash transfer (UCT) to help the 10 million poor families cope with the impact of the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) Law.

DSWD 7 Public Information Officer Leah Quintana said that in the Visayas, they have distributed UCT to 284, 310 out of the 287, 266 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) for 2018.

She said pensioners and those listed in the “Listahan” files of DSWD can also avail themselves of the UCT.

“As of now, we are still doing pay out. In 2019 and 2020, it will be increased to P300 or P3,600 lump sum. That is the mandate which is included in the Train Law,” Quintana said.

For those who want to engage in planting vegetables through backyard gardening, the Department of Agriculture (DA) wants to provide them technical assistance.

DA 7 Director Salvador Diputado said that if families will engage in backyard gardening, it will definitely raise food production.

“They can be assured of organic vegetables that are free from pesticides,” Diputado said.

On the other hand, Diputado said there is enough rice supply at the National Food Authority (NFA) where people can buy it at P27 per kilo. Commercial rice is P50 per kilo.

He said there is less rice supply from July to September because these are lean months, but supply will certainly increase by October and November because it is a harvest season.