Beneficiary receives cash assistance. Photo courtesy of PIA-Bataan
BALANGA CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development over the weekend started the distribution of financial assistance under its Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) in Bataan.
Mar Jay Delas Alas of the PIA provincial office said 371 families from Pilar and 148 families from Hermosa were the first recipients of the cash assistance of P6,500 per family.
Total amount paid to 519 families was P3,373,500.
Delas Alas said it was still a long way to go with 70,359 families as total target beneficiaries in 237 barangays of 11 towns and a city in the province.
He said the families under ESP are non-beneficiaries of government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
The assistance of P6,500 per poor family was based by DSWD on the ongoing minimum wage in Region 3. Other regions in the country have different amount in assistance from P6,000 to P8,000.
ESP was implemented following the passage of Republic Act 11469 or Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.
Delas Alas said recipients of ESP are those in the informal sector who lost their livelihood because of the enhanced community quarantine.
