Marcos Admin Launches New Cash Aid for 7.5M Poor Households Amid Oil Price Surge

MANILA, Philippines — The government will provide another round of cash assistance to benefit 7.5 million low-income households affected by the rising oil prices driven by the renewed conflict in the Middle East. In a video statement released on Thursday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government will expand its support to Filipinos through the Uplift Assistance program to be implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). “Under this program, immediate aid will be provided to 7.5 million households, or 37.5 million Filipinos, across the country,” the president added. According to Marcos, 1.5 million low-income workers and their families whose records have been verified by the Social Security System (SSS) will receive P2,000 per month from July through December — or P12,000 for the entire six months. Meanwhile, a one-time additional cash assistance of up to P2,000 will be granted to 3.5 million beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the Walang Gutom Program. The government will also extend assistance to 2.5 million poor and near-poor households identified through the 2024 Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS). “The objective of Uplift Assistance is to help ensure that Filipino families can continue to meet their everyday needs. At the same time, we have expanded the program’s coverage so that more Filipinos can benefit from this assistance,” Marcos said. “The government will ensure that this assistance is delivered quickly, efficiently, and more conveniently through digital means,” he added. The Uplift Assistance is the second wave of financial aid from the government under Marcos’ Executive Order No. 110, placing the entire country in a one-year national state of energy emergency. The government response was carried out under a strategic whole-of-government framework anchored on the United Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (Uplift) to protect the livelihoods of Filipinos and keep our economy resilient. During the first round of cash aid, which started in late March for Metro Manila and in April for other parts of the countries, the government implemented targeted assistance to sectors most affected by increases in fuel prices. The assistance benefited transport workers, farmers, fisherfolk, and low-income families. Under the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), a P5,000 cash assistance was given to each qualified public transport worker to help them cope with increase in fuel costs and protect their daily income. As of July 14, more than 1.8 million transport workers nationwide have received assistance. The government also implemented fuel subsidies for qualified jeepneys and UV Express vans, amounting to P1,500 per week for three months. The Department of Transportation also implemented from April to May a service contracting program for PUVs, which covered around 50,000 PUVs and benefited up to 15 million passengers. /das