The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has so far provided cash assistance to at least 19,000 sari-sari store owners and micro rice retailers nationwide.
As of Oct. 2, the DSWD distributed P286.26 million financial aid through its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) to 19,084 beneficiaries who were suffering losses in their business capital as a result of the price cap on well-milled and regular-milled rice.
DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications and spokesperson Romel Lopez said both micro rice retailers and sari-sari store owners received P15,000 cash assistance.
“We are now 78 percent finished with the distribution of cash aid to the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry)-validated target beneficiaries,” Lopez said.
He said the DSWD is expediting the distribution of cash aid to the remaining 5,400 beneficiaries across the country.
The ongoing financial aid distribution is part of President Marcos' directive to assist small rice traders and retailers who have been directly affected by the price caps on regular-milled and well-milled rice imposed by Executive Order No. 39 series of 2023.