TRAIN subsidy to be distributed in 2019

MANILA, Philippines — The unconditional cash transfer (UCT) to help poor families  cope with the effects of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN law will be implemented this year, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has assured the public.

“From what we heard, the UCT and the prescribed P300 per month... will push through,” Noel Macalalad, DSWD assistant secretary for policy and plans, said yesterday.

The amount is 50 percent higher compared to the P200 given last year.

Macalalad said TRAIN subsidy beneficiaries would continue to receive the same amount in 2020.

The DSWD said 4.4 million beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps, three million senior citizens of the social pension program and 2.6 million households from its Listahanan or database of poor households would receive the TRAIN subsidy.

“Right now we are transitioning. In 2018, we were doing manual payment... This year, the government would like to... transition... to cash cards... to eliminate the need to  put up face-to-face payouts. What will happen is that the money will be deposited to the beneficiaries’ cash card accounts,” Macalalad said.