BALANGA CITY (PIA) — The national government’s initial Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Assistance payout in Dinalupihan, Bataan is helping vulnerable families meet daily needs and support small livelihood activities, with some beneficiaries also using the aid for their children’s education.
Among those who felt the immediate impact of the program is 72-year-old Linda Abraham, a member of the Ayta Ambala community in Barangay Tubo-Tubo, who will use the P2,000 assistance as capital for planting vegetables that provide her family’s main source of income.
Abraham was among the 819 beneficiaries in Dinalupihan who received their initial P2,000 cash assistance during the two-day payout conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on August 4 to 5 at the Dinalupihan Civic Center.
The agency distributed the assistance to 426 qualified beneficiaries on August 4 and 393 beneficiaries on August 5.
Implemented under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the UPLIFT Assistance program forms part of the government’s response to the National Energy Emergency by providing immediate financial relief while helping vulnerable households recover from economic hardships.
For Abraham, the aid means more than temporary support as she relies on planting and selling vegetables such as sweet potato tops and taro during local bargain days in the community to earn a living.
“Salamat dahil sa natanggap ko ngayong P2,000. Iyan ang magiging puhunan ko sa pagtatanim at panggastos sa pang-araw-araw. Malaking tulong talaga ito sa amin. Dahil sa ibinigay ng pamahalaan, hindi na muna namin iisipin kung bukas, kapag magtatanim ako, ano kaya ang kakainin namin,” she said.
She explained that old age no longer allows her to do heavy work, so she continues to rely on this livelihood for income while supporting the education of the grandchild under her care, who is about to finish Senior High School.
“Malaking tulong sa amin kung mapagtatapos namin sila ng pag-aaral dahil inaamin namin na hindi kami nakapag-aral. Noon kasi, balewala lang kaming mga kulot kaya wala kaming natutunan kundi magtanim, at ngayon ay nagpapasalamat kami dahil tinutulungan na kami at nakakasama na kami sa mga ganitong nabibigyan ng tulong, at sana ay hindi sila magsawang tumulong sa aming mga mahihirap,” she shared.
Another beneficiary, Jovy Tenorio of Barangay Sta. Isabel said the government support would help her family meet basic needs while her husband works in construction.
“Ako po ay housewife lamang at ang asawa ko naman po ay nagtatrabaho sa construction, at kung minsan ay hindi sumasapat ang kinikita niya dahil may tatlo po kaming anak at dalawa ang nag-aaral, kaya pinagkakasya na lamang po namin kung ano ang mayroon kami,” she said.
Tenorio added that the assistance would go to rice, food, and school-related expenses.
“Malaking tulong po ang ibinigay ninyo sa amin para sa aming pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan. Maraming salamat po sa ating Pangulo at sa DSWD sa pagtulong at pagsuporta sa amin upang matanggap ang tulong na ito,” she said.
According to the DSWD, the beneficiaries belong to Group 2 of the program and were identified through the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2024 Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) database based on the program’s eligibility guidelines.
Qualified beneficiaries will receive P2,000 in monthly assistance from July to December 2026, with the DSWD conducting the initial distribution through manual or face-to-face payout to ensure the accuracy of beneficiary records before the implementation of digital transfers for the succeeding payouts.
The UPLIFT Assistance program complements other government social protection initiatives by providing immediate financial relief to eligible households facing economic difficulties, while the use of the CBMS database aims to improve beneficiary targeting and help ensure that assistance reaches qualified vulnerable families. (CLJD/RPQ, PIA Region 3-Bataan)
