Bringing Government Assistance Closer to Communities
LEYTE - A total of 1,504 residents in Carigara, Leyte have benefited from the government’s Unified Package for Livelihood, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) program. Implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the initiative is designed to provide assistance to individuals and families facing economic difficulties while helping them strengthen their sources of income. The program represents an effort to bring social protection directly to communities rather than limiting assistance to centralized government services. For beneficiaries, the support can provide additional resources to meet household needs while they work toward greater financial stability. The rollout in Carigara is also part of the program’s wider expansion to municipalities across Leyte.
Targeting Families Most Vulnerable to Economic Shocks
UPLIFT beneficiaries are primarily identified through government databases, including the 2024 Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS). The program focuses on households classified as poor and near-poor because these families are considered particularly vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks. Government data cited by the Philippine Information Agency placed Leyte’s average monthly poverty threshold for a family of five at PHP14,057 in 2023, while the province’s poverty incidence was estimated at 29.3 percent. Near-poor households, meanwhile, are those whose income falls within 25 percent above the poverty line. Using established data systems allows government agencies to better identify households that may need assistance and direct available resources toward communities facing greater economic vulnerability.
Support That Can Help Families Maintain Livelihoods
The assistance can provide an important source of relief for households that rely on limited or irregular income. One Carigara beneficiary, Mary Ann Daang, combines work at a local store with manicure and pedicure services to support her five children. She described the assistance as valuable support for her family’s needs, particularly because her regular income is often stretched across daily expenses. Stories like hers illustrate how additional government assistance can complement existing livelihood activities and help families manage periods of financial pressure. Rather than replacing employment or livelihood efforts, the program is intended to provide vulnerable households with added support while they continue working toward more sustainable sources of income.
