The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-6) on Monday, July 20, began distributing cash assistance under the expanded United Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food and Transport (UPLIFT) program.

The initial payout covers 39,936 near-poor households in the region. The beneficiaries belong to Group 2 of the expanded program and were identified through the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2024 Community-Based Monitoring System.

“UPLIFT is the response of DSWD and national government agencies through EO (Executive Order) 110 issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. This is to provide them with extra income that they lost due to the increasing fuel prices,” DSWD-6 Regional Director Joselito Estember said in a video message.

Estember said beneficiaries are classified into three groups. Group 1 includes members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and recipients of the Walang Gutom Program. Group 2 covers near-poor households identified through the monitoring system, while Group 3 consists of low-income members of the Social Security System (SSS).

He said around 145,000 4Ps beneficiaries and 20,000 Walang Gutom recipients under Group 1 will receive a one-time PHP2,000 top-up to their existing grants. Group 3 beneficiaries will get monthly subsidies through their SSS accounts.

Group 2 beneficiaries will receive PHP2,000 monthly for six months, from July to December 2026.

“This is the first batch that we are validating. We expect to add about 37,000 more beneficiaries, bringing the total to 77,373 households,” Estember said.

Beneficiaries received their first payout in cash. Future payments will be released through the payout platform they choose during registration.

Recipients welcomed the assistance, saying it would help cover their families’ daily needs.

Rubz Lee, a senior citizen from Iloilo City who earns a living by doing laundry, said she would use the money for her grandchildren’s needs.

“We have never received any assistance before, so I am very grateful for this help,” she said in the local dialect.

Dennis Ciples, who earns by selling scrap materials to a junk shop, said the cash aid would help him buy food for his family.

The simultaneous kickoff payout was held at seven sites in Western Visayas: Banga and Kalibo in Aklan; San Jose, Antique; Dumalag, Capiz; Buenavista, Guimaras; Iloilo City; and Janiuay, Iloilo.PNA