ILOILO CITY, July 20 -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Western Visayas (DSWD-6) on Monday began distributing cash assistance under the expanded United Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food and Transport (UPLIFT) program.

The initial payout covers 39,936 near-poor households in the region. The beneficiaries belong to Group 2 of the expanded program and were identified through the Philippine Statistics Authority's 2024 Community-Based Monitoring System.

"UPLIFT is the response of DSWD and national government agencies through EO (Executive Order) 110 issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. This is to provide them with extra income that they lost due to the increasing fuel prices," DSWD-6 Regional Director Joselit...