CEBU CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Central Visayas (DSWD-7) on Friday, September 29, started distributing cash assistance to sari-sari store owners in the region affected by the price cap on rice.
According to DSWD-7, there are more than 2,000 sari-sari owners who are eligible to receive a maximum of P15,000 in cash assistance.
The province of Cebu has the most eligible recipients of the cash assistance with 1,103.
There are 434 identified beneficiaries in Bohol and Negros Oriental has 405 who will receive the cash assistance. There are 44 beneficiaries in Siquijor.
Beneficiaries of the cash payout were identified and validated by the Department of Trade Industry. The list of beneficiaries was forwarded to the DSWD-7 for the distribution of the cash assistance.
The government has been giving cash assistance to cushion the impact of Executive Order No. 39 that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued mandating the price ceiling for regular and well-milled rice at P41 and P45, respectively.
First to receive cash assistance were micro rice retailers. In Central Visayas, there were 325 micro rice retailers who were listed as beneficiaries of the cash assistance.