DSWD cash-for-work program benefits 32,000 PWDs in Central Visayas

Felipe B. Espinosa, a PWD beneficiary from San Miguel, Bohol, receives P4,350 from DSWD’s cash-for-work program.| Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A total of 32,336 persons with disability (PWDs) in Central Visayas benefitted from the cash-for-work program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS).

In a statement released on Monday, Feb. 13, the Department of Social Welfare in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) announced that it released a total of P128.6 million in cash for the payment of the salaries of these PWDs.

The cities of Cebu and Mandaue and Daanbanatayan town in Cebu province and Bayawan City and Ayungon town in Negros Oriental had the most number of PWD beneficiaries in the region.

DSWD-7 paid P68,335,890 to 16,143 PWDs in Cebu province and P30,425,638 to the 8,281 beneficiaries in Negros Oriental.  It also paid P27,509,400 to 7,333 beneficiaries in Bohol and P1,952,340 to the 579 beneficiaries in Siquijor.

In a statement, the agency said that program beneficiaries worked for six to ten days in their respective communities and were paid a minimum of  P435 daily.

PWD beneficiaries during one of the community services in Daanbantayan, Cebu.| Photo credits to Ian Noval.

The program beneficiaries were assigned to clean and disinfect public areas and facilities and do tree-planting, gardening, carpentry works, as well as clerical tasks like recording of attendance.  Some were also assigned to assist local government offices that are engaged in on-demand activities.

“We ensure that their disability is not a problem for the delivery of these community services, their mobility is favorable for them, and they can move around to perform the work assigned to them,” DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero said.

KALAHI-CIDSS, which is the implementing program of this initiative, conducted a total of 11 scheduled payouts from Dec. 3, 2022, to Jan. 10, 2023, in different payout sites.

This include the national simultaneous payout scheduled on Dec. 3, 2022, in celebration of the international day of PWDs.

Moreover, as the lead agency in social protection, DSWD is urging families with PWD members to recognize their rights in the community.

“With cash-for-work, the DSWD not only provides assistance for PWD’s daily needs, but also provides them with the dignity to demonstrate their capacity as rightful members of society without judgment or discrimination,” the agency said.

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