7.5 million households to get cash aid as Middle East crisis effects linger

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The beneficiaries include those under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, poor and near-poor households, and low-income workers and their families

MANILA, Philippines – The government will provide financial aid to 7.5 million households as the country continues to be affected by the Middle East crisis, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Thursday, July 16.

In a video message, Marcos said the newly introduced financial support, which will benefit around 37.5 million Filipinos, expanded the coverage of UPLIFT or the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport Program.

Here are the beneficiaries of the UPLIFT assistance:

• One-time cash aid of up to P2,000 for 3.5 million beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Walang Gutom Program
• Monthly P2,000 cash aid from July to December for 2.5 million poor and near-poor households identified through the 2024 Community-Based Monitoring System
• Monthly P2,000 cash aid from July to December for 1.5 million low-income workers and their families validated through the Social Security System

The Department of Social Welfare and Development will lead the rollout of the targeted cash assistance program.

Marcos said digital channels will also be used to deliver the funds.

Previously, the government provided fuel subsidies to transport workers, farmers, and fisherfolk to cushion the impact of oil price shocks brought by the United States-Israel war on Iran.

The war broke out on February 28, with Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route. Fragile truces have collapsed multiple times. (READ: Iran warns of ‘existential war’ as US strikes again)

Despite recent easing in Dubai crude, pump prices in the Philippines, a net importer of petroleum products, remain high compared to levels before the hostilities began. Just this week, oil firms implemented another round of fuel price hikes.

On July 7, National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said the Middle East conflict would “still be a major factor to our overall inflation moving forward.”

– Rappler.com