The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday rolled out the government’s P55-billion Unified Package for Livelihood, Industry, Food, and Transportation (UPLIFT) Assistance program, aimed at preventing up to 1.2 million Filipino families from slipping into poverty amid the ongoing energy crisis.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the program is designed not only to cushion the impact of rising energy costs but also to prevent low-income and near-poor households from slipping back into poverty.
Citing government data, Gatchalian warned that an estimated 1.2 million families risk falling into poverty within a short period if no intervention is made.
‘We have invested heavily in lifting these families over the past few years. It would be unfortunate if, within just six months, they fall back into poverty. This assistance will help protect them during that period,’ he said.
The UPLIFT program is expected to benefit a total of 7.5 million households, covering not only the poorest sectors but also low-wage earners and those living just above the poverty line.
‘This is a broad safety net. It includes the poor, the near-poor, and those who are just one crisis-such as illness, death, or disaster-away from falling back into poverty,’ Gatchalian explained.
Beneficiaries are grouped into three categories. The first group includes 3.5 million households under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the Walang Gutom Program (WGP), who will receive a one-time grant of P2,000.
The second group, composed of 2.5 million poor and near-poor households identified through the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS), began receiving manual payouts on Monday. They will receive P2,000 monthly until December.
The third group covers 1.5 million low-wage earners identified by the Social Security System (SSS), who will receive P2,000 monthly through their bank accounts until year-end.
The initiative follows the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to extend financial assistance to Filipinos affected by the energy crisis. The program was also informed by recommendations from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), which warned of a potential surge in poverty without timely government intervention.
For the initial rollout, the DSWD is conducting manual payouts for Group 2 beneficiaries while collecting their e-wallet details to facilitate faster and more efficient distribution in the coming months.
At the launch event held at Teatro Marikina in Marikina City, 78 beneficiaries from Group 2 received their first tranche of assistance.
The government has earmarked P55 billion to fund the UPLIFT program through the end of the year, aiming to stimulate the economy while safeguarding millions of families from deeper financial hardship.