ILOILO City – To buffer households against the severe impact of inflation, which has significantly increased the cost of goods and services, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has started releasing P3,000 in financial aid to each of over 20,000 “near poor” families in Western Visayas.
“This time, the near poor, who also contribute to our economy, are receiving the necessary government assistance. We aim to prevent them from sliding back into poverty due to economic shocks such as inflation,” said DSWD Region 6 director Atty. Carmelo Nochete.
The aid is under the department’s Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita (AKAP) program, a strategic response by the national government targeting families whose earnings do not surpass the statutory minimum wage — P480 per day for non-agricultural work and P440 for agricultural work.
Nochete said AKAP aims to protect the purchasing power of families.
The identified beneficiary-families are also not beneficiaries of other government assistance schemes such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Social Pension.
The rollout occurred on Sunday across 16 different sites in the provinces of Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz, Antique, and Negros Occidental.
The event was led by Nochete, who was supported by a team of assistant regional directors and local government units.
Despite the successful distribution, some areas are yet to receive their assistance, with another schedule planned for the upcoming days, said Atty. May Rago-Castillo, information officer of DSWD-6.
DSWD-6 is still tallying the total number of families that received the P3,000 assistance on Sunday.
In total, 20,311 “near poor” families across the region were earmarked as beneficiaries of this program, with the breakdown as follows: 5,222 families in Iloilo; 7,440 in Negros Occidental; 1,731 in Aklan; 3,414 in Capiz;, and 2,504 in Antique.
The selection process of these families involved referrals from local government units and other sectors, with a stringent validation process to ensure they were not already recipients of 4Ps or Social Pension.
A total budget of P60.9 million has been allocated for this round of assistance in Western Visayas, with a national budget of P26.7 billion set aside for the implementation of AKAP in 2024.
Sunday’s payout sites were the following: NVC Gym in Aklan; Tangalan Elementary School in Aklan; West Visayas State University (Cultural Hall) in Iloilo City; Tigbauan Municipal Gym in Tigbauan, Iloilo; Barotac Nuevo Arena in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo; Concepcion Municipal Gym in Concepcion, Iloilo; Dinggoy Roxas Civic Center in Roxas City; Capiz Gym in Capiz; Patnongon Gym in Antique; Mansilingan Public Gym in Mansilingan, Negros Occidental; San Carlos Gym in San Carlos City; Negros Occidental; Taliambong, Sagay Gym in Negros Occidental; Victorias City Coliseum in Negros Occidental; La Carlota City Gym in Negros Occidental; Hinigaran Covered Gym in Negros Occidental; and Ilog Covered Gym in Negros Occidental.
Nochete was supported in the distribution by DSWD-6 Assistant Regional Directors Arwin Razo and Joselito Estember, Protective Services Division Chief Katherine Joy Lamprea, Crisis Intervention Section Chief Beverly Salazar with Division Chiefs and Team Leaders in the provinces in partnership with local governments./PN
