The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) conducted a nationwide simultaneous cash-for-work (CFW) payout activity for over 200,000 persons with disabilities (PWDs) on Dec. 3.

With the theme, “Buhay at Bayanihan para sa Mamamayan Cash-for-Work for Persons with Disabilities” or “BUHAYnihan,” the activity led by DSWD’s Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) saw the distribution of cash support to 264,186 PWDs.

The CFW aims to distribute cash support to beneficiaries for their rendered community work. It provides short-term intervention by giving temporary employment to low income or no income families with members who have disabilities.

The DSWD said that in case the PWD-beneficiary cannot do the assigned work because of physical limitations, they can recommend a member of their family to do the work for them.

Each beneficiary was given the opportunity to work for six to 10 days with a corresponding daily wage based on the 2022 Regional Daily Wage Rate of their region.

The payout of the CFW program was held in different regions across the country and was attended by DSWD executive committee members, including Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo, who attended the activity in Pililla, Rizal.

In his message during the payout activity, Tulfo considered the contribution of people with disabilities to the significant development of the country.

“Hindi po limos ang ibinigay sa inyo ng gobyerno. Ito po ay pinagtrabahuhan ninyo ng ilang araw sa ilalim po ng tinatawag na cash-for-work program ng DSWD. Kaya huwag ninyong iisipin na kayo ay walang silbi sa mundong ito. Kayo po ay may silbi. Ang tatanggapin ninyo ay pinaghirapan ninyo. Hindi naniniwala ang gobyerno na kapag kayo ay may kapansanan ay wala na kayong silbi (What the government has given you is not alms. This is what you worked for a few days under the so-called cash-for-work program of the DSWD. So don’t think that you are useless in this world. You are useful. What you get is what you work for. The government does not believe that if you have disabilities you are useless),” Tulfo said.

Meanwhile, Gerry Sto. Domingo, a PWD who received cash assistance, expressed his gratitude for being one of the selected beneficiaries of the CFW program.

“Ako po ay isa sa mga nakilahok sa paglilinis sa aming barangay, kabilang ang pamahalaang barangay, barangay center, barangay covered court, barangay day care center, at kasama ang pagtatanim ng halaman sa paligid ng aming barangay (I am one of those who took part in the cleaning of our barangay, including the barangay government, barangay center, barangay covered court, barangay day care center, and including the planting of plants around our barangay),” Sto. Domingo said.

“Sa mga gawain pong ito napatunayan ko po na ang isang person with disability na kagaya ko ay may puwang at silbi sa ating pamayanan. Kasama na rin po nito ang pagpapahalaga ko sa aking sarili. At napatunayan ko na ang aking kapansanan ay hindi hadlang upang ako ay makapag-ambag ng isang makabuluhang gawain sa ating lipunan (Through these activities, I have proven that a disabled person like me has a place and use in our community. It also includes my self-esteem. And I have proven that my disability is not an obstacle for me to contribute meaningful work to our society,” he added.