Some 8,114 individuals received PHP 5,000 in financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Ayuda sa Kapos Ang Kita Program (AKAP), which aims to assist low-income and minimum-wage earners affected by high inflation or increasing prices of basic commodities.
DSWD distributed the assistance on August 24, 2024, in the City of Naga, Cebu, during the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair, organized by the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV), which aims to provide social, medical, legal, and other services.
Recipients come from informal sectors such as job order workers, drivers, construction workers, market vendors, farmers, and fishermen, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, identified by their local government units and assessed by DSWD on the day of the serbisyo fair.
The activity brought different government services directly to the people of Cebu province’s first district, covering the cities of Carcar, Naga, and Talisay, and the municipalities of Minglanilla, San Fernando, and Sibonga.
Benny B. Villaver, 76, is a tricycle driver and a Lupon Tagapamayapa of Brgy. Mohon, Talisay City, Cebu, is one of the beneficiaries who waited among the restless crowd.
His work as a driver is greatly affected by the challenges posed by volatile gasoline prices and the growing popularity of ride-hailing services that make it difficult to compete with other drivers, making him eligible to receive the AKAP aid.
“Lisod ang pangita tungod kay daghan ang aduna nay cellphone nga pwedeng makakuha og mga pasahero dayon ug gawas ana wala sad ko anang gitawag nilag GCash (It’s difficult to get customers nowadays because a lot of people are using their cellular phones to book a service, and I also do not have a GCash app, which others are now using),” referring to the rapidly-growing demand for ride-hailing services and the use of mobile payment services.
He said that the amount he received will be used to buy maintenance medicines for his wife’s diabetes, while the rest will be used to purchase food items.
DSWD 7 Assistant Regional Director for Administration Tonyson Luther S. Lee, who led the distribution, said it is the biggest caravan for Cebu province since the department has joined in Central Visayas. “With over 8K beneficiaries of the PHP 40.5 million worth of financial assistance, we hope we made an impact on the lives of people in Cebu amid the increasing prices of commodities,” he said.
During the caravan, the department also sets up a Public Information and Complaints Desk to accommodate queries from participants, especially regarding 4Ps.
BPSF in Central Visayas
Since its launching in Central Visayas early this year, the DSWD has been participating by distributing financial assistance and family food packs, conducting information dissemination, and showcasing livelihood products.
A total of 40,858 individuals have benefited from the cash aid, either through the AICS or AKAP programs, and 8,662 received the food packs. ###
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