GCash tapped by DSWD for payout of UPLIFT cash aid in Bacolod City

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The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has partnered with GCash to launch a digital payout mechanism for the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Assistance in Bacolod City.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the initiative supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to make government assistance more timely and accessible to Filipinos affected by the energy emergency.

“Ang bilin din ng ating Pangulo sa akin, kailangan sa mabilis at madaling paraan [ang pag-aabot] ng cash assistance. Nakipag-ugnayan kami sa GCash para ‘yung mga may GCash account na, hindi na pipila. Simula ngayon hanggang sa December, ‘pag kukunin niyo na ‘yung P2,000, sa GCash na lang po ‘yan,” Gatchalian said.

During the launch at the New Government Center in Bacolod City, 62 Group 2 beneficiaries simultaneously received their P2,000 grants through GCash, marking the rollout of digital payouts for Group 2 beneficiaries in other regions.

Group 2 beneficiaries are poor and near-poor individuals identified through the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Community-Based Monitoring System.

Gatchalian said DSWD monitoring showed that only about 20% of eligible Group 2 beneficiaries currently have personal e-wallets or bank accounts.

Because of this, DSWD field offices will continue conducting manual payouts in municipalities where beneficiaries do not yet have digital accounts, while encouraging them to open e-wallets or bank accounts.

“Ang request ko na lang po sa inyo, alam ko may mga kaibigan kayo na kabilang sa grupo niyong pumipila pa rin [sa manual payout], kulitin niyo na rin sila na mag-GCash o magbukas ng mga ATM accounts. Marami pa kasing hindi nagbibigay ng mga accounts kaya hindi namin ma-implement nang buo ang digital payout,” Gatchalian said.

Data from the DSWD Social Registry Office showed that the agency had distributed the July cash aid to 1.77 million Group 2 beneficiaries as of September 22. Of these, only 134,811 had verified e-wallets or bank accounts.

GCash Vice President and Head of Integrated Ecosystem Partnerships Chai Alano said the company supports the DSWD’s efforts to speed up the distribution of government assistance.

“Sa pamamagitan ng digital disbursement, hindi na po komplikado makuha ang mga benefits ng ating mga registered beneficiaries. Mas kaunting oras sa pila, mas kaunting gastos sa pamasahe, at mas maraming oras sa pamilya. Kami po ay para sa financial inclusion,” Alano said.

Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya thanked the DSWD for choosing the city as the venue for the symbolic launch, saying the agency’s digitalization efforts have raised the level of public service.

Beneficiaries also welcomed the cash assistance.

As of September 22, the UPLIFT program had assisted a total of 5,802,453 individuals.

The DSWD urged eligible beneficiaries to register their e-wallet or bank account details to facilitate faster cash disbursements in the coming months. —LDF, GMA News