BALER, Aurora (PIA) — About 344 residents of Baler, Aurora received cash assistance under the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Assistance Program to help offset rising fuel and commodity costs and ease the impact of inflation on low-income households.
Among the beneficiaries was 44-year-old tricycle driver Bandar Estillore, whose daily income depends on the number of passengers he serves each day.
Estillore said supporting his four-member household remains a challenge as the prices of basic goods continue to increase, placing additional pressure on his family’s limited income.
He expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), saying the assistance would help meet his household’s immediate needs.
He said he would use the cash aid to buy groceries and other household necessities, as well as fuel for his daily tricycle operations.
Under the program, each beneficiary will receive P2,000 monthly until December 2026, providing sustained financial support to vulnerable households, low-income workers, and members of the transport and agricultural sectors.
To facilitate the payout, personnel from the local government of Baler and the Philippine Statistics Authority assisted beneficiaries in processing and correcting documentary requirements to ensure the smooth release of assistance.
A registration booth also assisted beneficiaries in enrolling in the newly introduced e-wallet disbursement system, allowing future payouts to be distributed more efficiently and conveniently.
Meanwhile, DSWD also conducted a payout in Dilasag town, enabling 580 residents to receive assistance under the UPLIFT Assistance Program.
The simultaneous distributions in Baler and Dilasag expanded the program’s reach and allowed more Aurora residents to access government support.
The initiative forms part of the Marcos administration’s efforts to strengthen social protection programs and extend assistance to sectors facing economic difficulties.
Through UPLIFT, the government seeks to help families meet basic needs, sustain livelihoods, and improve their capacity to cope with rising living costs.(CLJD/MAT, PIA Region 3- Aurora)
