With the looming election ban due to the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSK), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will work double time to finish distributing the cash payout to micro and small farmers affected by the price ceiling imposed on rice.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian speaks to the media during a Palace press briefing on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. (Photo from the Presidential Communications Office)

This is why DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian has a “self-imposed” deadline to finish distributing the livelihood grant by Thursday, Sept. 14, despite already asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for an exemption.

“The President instructed us to finish this at the soonest possible time. He likes the idea of finishing it by the 14th, pero (but) we told him na we would really want … we have applied for an exemption in the eventuality na may mga (there are) unforeseen circumstances that will cause some delay,” he said during a Palace press briefing on Tuesday, Sept. 12.

However, as Comelec has yet to respond to their appeal, the agency is still aiming to finish all distributions by Thursday.

“Iyon iyong nasabi namin (That’s what we’re saying) that we have to operate on the premise that wala pa kaming (we don’t have an) exemption at this point in time. So following the law, we have to stop by the 15, so by Sept. 14 ang goal natin is matapos natin (our goal is to finish) at least all highly urbanized cities and regions,” Gatchalian explained.

“But we did file for exemption, and we are hopeful na makuha namin iyon so that kapag sakaling may spillover (we get it in case there’s a spillover),” the official added.

The BSKE will be held on Oct. 30 this year.

In the “next three days,” the DSWD chief underscored the need to finish the distribution despite hoping that Comelec will grant their exemption request.

“Pero we cannot preempt the good Comelec from saying na mabibigyan kami… eh talagang self-imposed deadline namin sa… utos ng Pangulo (But we cannot preempt the good Comelec from saying that we would be given… it’s really our self-imposed deadline… on the directive of the President) is September 14 – that should cover all the regions,” he said.

Gatchalian shared that the agency has already started distributing the financial assistance to micro and small rice retailers in San Juan, Caloocan, Quezon City, Parañaque, Navotas, and Zamboanga del Sur.

Still, the agency is hoping for an exemption because they might need to go back to some areas like Quezon City because some beneficiaries were unable to claim their grants.

“We promised that we will go back to areas na may mga hindi nakasipot na mga nasa list so that we can make sure na mabayaran, mabigyan din sila ng livelihood grant (where some in the list failed to show up so that we can make sure that everyone will be paid, will given the livelihood grant),” the official explained.

The provision of livelihood grants to micro and small rice retailers came on the heels of Executive Order (EO) No. 39, issued by President Marcos, which put a price ceiling of P41 per kilogram for regular milled rice and P45 per kilogram for well-milled rice across the country.

So far, Gatchalian disclosed that some 474 rice retailers already received livelihood grants, which so far amounted to P7.5 million.

The grant being given to the beneficiaries will fall under the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (DSWD-SLP), which has a budget of P6 billion, P5.4 billion of which are still unobligated, this year.

Gatchalian also thanked House Speaker Martin Romualdez for committing to find an additional P2 billion should the DSWD need more funds.