The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), launched its SLP—Cash Assistance for Micro Rice Retailers—in relation to the implementation of the Executive Order. 39 series of 2023 that declares the standard rice price ceiling of 41.00 to 45.00.

The agencies involved, like the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), worked hand in hand to provide protection to consumers and also to the micro rice retailers, who were greatly affected by the implementation of the price ceiling.

Since the declaration of EO 39, the DSWD has already paid a total of 1,937 micro-rice retailers and disbursed a total of Php 29,055,000.00. The names of the micro rice retailers were endorsed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in full coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). The micro rice retailers received a one-time payment of Php 15,000.00 in cash as assistance to recover their losses.

Monitoring will be conducted by the DSWD field staff within thirty (30) days after the release of the subsidy.

To achieve a 100% payout, DSWD has to pay the micro retailers who have yet to claim their cash assistance until October 6, 2023. ###

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