BACOLOD CITY, July 27 -- Pilot beneficiaries of the national government's Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food and Transport (UPLIFT) financial aid in Negros Occidental are thankful for the extra cash they can spend for more household essentials.

Data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Negros Island Region (DSWD-NIR) on Monday showed PHP16.648 million has been disbursed to 8,324 clients in Negros Occidental as of 9:35 p.m. on July 26, after the payout started in the initial three local government units (LGUs) on July 20.

They are part of the Group 2 beneficiaries or households classified as "near-poor" who received PHP2,000 each during the initial payout this month, and in the succeeding months until Decemb...