Qualified micro rice retailers receive gov’t cash aid
Micro rice retailers from Carbon market in Cebu City receive their cash aid from the government. contributed photo | DTI-7
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A total of 87 micro rice retailers received cash assistance from the government last Thursday, September 14, 2023.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Central Visayas conducted simultaneous payouts in the region on Thursday.
The four government agencies gave the financial subsidy to qualified rice retailers in Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.
The cash subsidy was given to the micro retailers who have been affected by the implementation of the Executive Order (EO) 39 of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. which imposed a price cap on rice.
READ MORE: DSWD-7: Only qualified rice retailers can receive P15,000 subsidy on Sept. 14
The DSWD in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) released the P15,000 cash subsidy to the 87 micro retailers who belong to the first batch of beneficiaries in Region 7.
According to the DTI, the qualified micro rice retailers are those who registered with the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO), registered as sole proprietors with the DTI, unregistered rice retailers validated by market administrators, and those verified by the DTI.
A total of P1,305,000 was disbursed by the DSWD.
P90,000 was given to Bohol; P255,000 for Cebu; P945,000 for Negros Oriental; and P15,000 for Siquijor.
READ: Qualified rice retailers in CV to receive gov’t cash aid on September 14
Cebu
In Cebu, there were eight micro retailers from Cebu City who received their subsidy at the Interim Building in Carbon market.
Among the government officials who graced the event were Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, Councilor Junjun Osmeña Jr., DSWD-7 Promotive Services Division Chief Emma Patalinghug, DTI Cebu Provincial Director Rose Mae Quiñanola, DILG-7 Regional Director Leocadio Trovela, and City Director Nelia Aquino.
In Minglanilla town, southern Cebu, Municipal Administrator Rolando Lastimosa was present on behalf of Mayor Rajiv Enad, to give to the three beneficiaries at the Minglanilla Municipal Hall.
Meanwhile, in Consolacion town, DILG Provincial Regional Director Ian Kenneth Lucero graced the distribution of the subsidy to the six beneficiaries.
Bohol
There were six recipients from Tagbilaran City, and the municipalities of Jagna, Carmen, Sevilla, and Ubay.
The beneficiaries claimed their Php 15,000 aid at the Atrium, Tagbilaran City Hall.
Some officials who attended during the distribution were DSWD-7 Project Development Officer and Team Leader of the Bohol Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Team Jimmy Crusio, DTI-Bohol OIC Provincial Director Vierna Teresa C. Ligan, Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Censoria C. Yap, and DILG City Local Government Operations Officer Juliet Olalo.
Negros Oriental
In Negros Oriental, there were 63 qualified beneficiaries.
Among the officials who attended were DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero led the distribution of the cash assistance alongside DTI-7 Regional Director Maria Elena Arbon, DA Regional Director Angel C. Enriquez, Negros Oriental Provincial Governor Manuel Sagarbarria, and Office of the Presidential Assistance for the Visayas Chief Terrence Calatrava.
Siquijor
Meanwhile, in Siquijor, there was only one who qualified to receive the cash aid, Jury Ontolan, in Barangay Tigbawan, Lazi, Siquijor.
She received the cash assistance directly at her store.
READ MORE: Rice retailer: P15,000 subsidy may not be enough to some vendors
Profiling
The DTI was in-charge of producing the list of the qualified beneficiaries through their profiling and monitoring in partnership with the local government units.
DSWD-7 earlier said that after the distribution they would have monitoring activities to check if the P15,000 subsidy was used properly.
Through that, they would be able to determine if the micro rice retailers still have losses or not.
READ MORE: DTI-7 to focus on monitoring price cap on rice
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