DSWD-7 readies P15,000 cash aid for rice retailers in CV

Rice retailers in Central Visayas will soon receive a P15,000 cash assistance to be released by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas. | CDN Digital file photo (Niña Mae Oliverio)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) is now preparing for the distribution of financial assistance to rice retailers in the region.

This was confirmed by Kerwin Macopia, information officer of DSWD-7.

READ: DSWD caps aid to small rice retailers at P15,000

SLP of DSWD-7

Macopia of DSWD-7 said that the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) was tasked by the agency to conduct the payout, where each rice retailer would receive P15,000.

“Nag-pilot payout na sa Manila, so paabot ta sa dugang kasayuran sa atong rehiyon, sa atong probinsya,” Macopia.

(They already did a pilot payout in Manila, so we will just wait for more information in our region, in our province.)

The Department of Social Welfare and Development earlier said that small retailers would get a maximum subsidy of P15,000 to cover the losses they would incur with the imposition of the price ceiling on the Filipino staple food.

This was after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order No. 39 on August 31, mandating a P41 to P45 per kilogram price ceiling on rice. 

READ: Cops to monitor defiant rice retailers in Central Visayas

Who will receive the cash aid

Macopia said that those micro-rice retailers from public markets, selling regular-milled and well-milled rice based on the price ceiling, would receive the assistance.

“Kinsay makadawat niini? kadtong mga registered nga business permit sa licensing office, rehistrado sa DTI bilang sole proprietor or sa Securities and Exchange Commission, dili rehistrado nga rice retailers nga validated sa DTI, ug dili rehistrado nga retailers nga validated sa market masters nga gi-verify sa DTI,” he said.

(Who can receive this? Those who are registered with a business permit in the licensing office, registered at the DTI as sole proprietor or in the Securities and Exchange Commission, those who are not registered rice retailers but validated in the DTI, and those not registered retailers who are validated by the market masters, who are also verfied by the DTI.)

READ: Price monitoring task force of Cebu City to focus on monitoring price caps in markets

Where it will be released

The payout will be done at different public markets.

He said that their SLP program development officers (PDOs) were coordinating with the different Local Government Units (LGUs) to secure the list of rice retailers who would qualify for the financial assistance distribution.

“Ang atong mga staff, ang atong mga PDOs maoy mobisita ngadto sa inyoha,” he said.

(Our staff, our PDOs will be the ones to visit you.)/With Inquirer report

RELATED STORIES

Rice retailers say compliance with price cap OK for at least a week pending gov’t aid

How does inflation impact local traders?

NFA-7 assures sufficiency of rice stocks in Central Visayas

/dbs