MANILA, Philippines – Beneficiaries of the government’s anti-poverty projects who have unclaimed benefits can receive their cash grants through their cards, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Tuesday.
DSWD Social Marketing Service chief Irene Dumlao made this clarification after the department announced on Monday that they would temporarily suspend the cash grants, including the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens, Unconditional Cash Transfer, at Conditional Cash Transfer under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
“Yung may cash cards po they can withdraw their grants,” Dumlao said in a message to reporters. “The 4Ps (beneficiaries) with cash cards will receive their grants.”
Dumlao urged beneficiaries to wait for the DSWD’s go signal before visiting automated teller machines (ATMs).
“Ang matatanggap po nila ay (What they would receive are the) cash grants for Period 6. That’s for the months of Dec.2019-Jan 2020,” she added, saying that the rice allowances will be included already.
According to DSWD, they have more than 4.2 million active beneficiaries nationwide as of January 31, 2020, but only 3.6 million of those have cash cards.
Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday asked the DSWD to reinstate the program to help poor families affected by the community quarantine placed over Metro Manila — which was eventually enhanced to include the whole Luzon island — due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Robredo claimed that cash grants and aid would serve as a deterrent against the spread of COVID-19, because low-income earners can stay at home and not be forced to work despite the quarantine.
READ: Luzon now under ‘enhanced community quarantine’ – Palace
Secretary Rolando Bautista, however, clarified that they are suspending the projects to protect beneficiaries from gathering, which may lead to possible exposure from COVID-19.
“The temporary suspension of the activities will minimize the exposure of beneficiaries, especially those from vulnerable groups such as children, persons with disabilities, individuals with pre-existing medical conditions, and senior citizens, as well as DSWD employees, from the threats of COVID-19,” DSWD said in a statement on Monday.
“DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista though clarified that ‘social amelioration will not stop,’ explaining that, ‘it is during these trying times that the Department shows its compassionate care to the poor, vulnerable and marginalized’,” DSWD added.
As of now, there are now 142 cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines, 12 of which have died already, while six patients were allowed to go on home quarantine.
Worldwide, over 168,000 individuals have tested positive for COVID-19, with at least 6,506 dead.
COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus that first emerged in China’s city of Wuhan in Hubei province in late 2019.
The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses named the novel coronavirus as SARS-CoV-2.
Coronavirus is a family of viruses, which surfaces have a crown-like appearance. The viruses are named for the spikes on their surfaces.