DSWD continues to distribute cash cards for UCT social pensioners
By DSWD Caraga
BUTUAN CITY,
June 23 -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office
Caraga, in coordination with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) started the
cash card distribution under the Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT)-Social
Pension beneficiaries in select municipalities of the region.
The Department has continually coordinated with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and LBP while waiting for the funds to be downloaded and for the preparation of the cash cards. DSWD has also coordinated with the City/ Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices (C/MSWDO), and Office of the Senior Citizens Association officials in facilitating the preparation of the distribution and in explaining to the beneficiaries the delay of the schedules.
The DSWD has
distributed cash cards to 2,531 social pension beneficiaries in Buenavista on
May 18, 20, and 21. But there are remaining 605 unclaimed cash cards due to the
unavailability of the beneficiaries. Around 622 out of the 1,752 beneficiaries
also received their cards in the municipality of Las Nieves on June 10. The
rest have received their cards during the 2nd batch distribution on June 17,
2021.
The field
office has posted a schedule for the municipalities/cities in Agusan del Norte,
but due to the strict implementation of Local Government Units (LGUs) placed
under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), these schedules have been
deferred.
According to
OIC-UCT Head Adelito T. Mendoza, the field office targets to complete the
distribution of all cash cards to Social Pension and Listahanan beneficiaries
in October this year.
“There are
additional cash cards coming in the region from the LBP Central Office. These
cash cards will be distributed as soon as possible as the Department targets to
complete the distribution before the year ends,” said Mendoza.
As per LBP guidelines during the distribution, the beneficiaries need to personally secure the cash card and bring any valid ID as proof of identification. If unable to be present for the scheduled distribution, another schedule will be set for them to secure their cards.
UCT is the
biggest tax reform mitigation program of the government to address the effects
of the TRAIN law. It seeks to provide cash grants to poor households who may
not benefit from the lower income tax but may be adversely affected by the
rising prices of goods and commodities. (Social Marketing Section/DSWD Field
Office Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
