Over 5.7 million beneficiaries got assistance under Social Amelioration Program —DSWD

Over 5.7 million beneficiaries have so far received assistance under the Social Amelioration Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) amid the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.

In a virtual press briefing on Tuesday, DSWD Undersecretary Rene Glen Paje said that the department has so far distributed over P75.7 million assistance funds to 1,456 local government units in the county as of Wednesday.

Of this figure, P27.9 billion have already been given out to more than 5.7 million beneficiaries under the social amelioration program, he added.

According to Paje, P11.5 billion have been distributed to more than 2 million non-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, and an additional P16.3 billion have been given out to 4Ps beneficiaries who are cash card holders.

Meanwhile, over P323 million have also been distributed to 40,000 drivers of public utility vehicles in the National Capital Region affected by the suspension of mass transportation in the region.

Apart from cash subsidies, the DSWD also gave out food packs, of which 493,884 have been distributed to local government units amounting to around P194,000, Paje said.

A total of 4,250 beneficiaries with COVID-19-related concerns also received assistance through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), one of the department's existing programs to assist poor, marginalized and vulnerable or disadvantaged individuals.

Among those who benefitted from AICS are 2,388 stranded individuals, Paje said.

On the other hand, a total of 92,100 indigent senior citizens have also received social pension, with P276.3 million have been sent to senior citizens in Regions VI, X, Cordillera and Caraga.

"Patuloy ang DSWD sa pagpapahatid ng tulong at pagpapatupad ng iba't ibang programa para sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan," Paje said. —LDF, GMA News