MANILA – The House of Representatives, in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), launched a new assistance program aimed at providing cash and rice to more than 300,000 people.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Cash and Rice Distribution (CARD) program was initiated in 33 legislative districts across Metro Manila and two cities in Laguna province. The program was unveiled by House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, as a direct answer to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s call for action to assist the poorest and most vulnerable sectors of Filipino society.
The initiative began in Laguna, marking a significant start for the CARD program, Romualdez announced during the opening ceremony of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) in the City of Biñan. The fair is designed to bring government services closer to local communities. Under the CARD program, beneficiaries are slated to receive assistance through four distributions, each including at least PHP2,000 in cash and a 25-kilogram sack of rice.
Specifically, in the cities of Biñan and Santa Rosa, Laguna, approximately 3,000 and 2,000 beneficiaries respectively will benefit from this initiative. The DSWD has been charged with the identification of recipients and is authorized to adjust the aid provided based on their assessment of needs in different regions.
Romualdez highlighted that the conception of the program is a response to the current economic challenges, including the rising cost of rice. The CARD program aims not only to provide immediate relief with its cash and rice distributions but also to empower Filipinos by stabilizing rice prices and enhancing their purchasing power.
The program's reach is expected to extend beyond the initial areas of Metro Manila and Laguna, offering broadened support in the face of economic adversity.