Gov’t to release livelihood assistance grant on or before April 14

MANILA, Philippines — The government will release funds under the Livelihood Assistance Grant (LAG) on or before April 14 which may be used by beneficiaries as capital to start up a new small business to help tide them over the effects of the COVID-19 crisis.

President Rodrigo Duterte, in his second weekly report on the additional powers Congress granted him to address the health crisis, said the Sustainable Livelihood Program-National Program Management Office is now crafting the guidelines for the release of the LAG.

“The Sustainable Livelihood Program-National Program Management Office os currently crafting supplemental guidelines for the release of the Livelihood Assistance Grant (LAG), which is set to be released to the DSWD Field Offices on or before 14 April 2020,” Duterte said in his 22-page report.

“The LAG may be used by beneficiaries as seed capital to start up new or enhance existing micros-enterprises, among others,” he added.

Duterte placed the entire Luzon under in a monthlong enhanced community quarantine to prevent the further spread of the respiratory disease, which has so far infected 3,660 people nationwide, 163 of whom have died while 73 recovered.

The measure also effectively suspended work for the majority of the region’s people as it likewise halted the operations of public transport. Luzon region is home to about half of the country’s population.

The government has set aside P200 billion worth of cash aid to be distributed to about 18 million low-income households.

The beneficiaries are to receive subsidies of P5,000 to P8,000 per household monthly for two months.