The Manila Times
THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday began the special payout of cash relief assistance for Grab and Move It drivers in Metro Manila who were excluded from earlier distributions due to issues over beneficiary lists. The payouts were held at SMX Aura in Taguig City and the FilOil Centre in San Juan City as part of the government’s financial assistance to transport workers affected by the energy emergency. DSWD Secretary Rexlon Gatchalian visited the payout site at SMX Aura to inspect the distribution process and meet with beneficiaries. Gatchalian said the DSWD worked closely with transport network companies (TNCs) to thoroughly validate and reconcile beneficiary records before resuming the payouts. “We did not allow the scheduling of payouts until the lists had been thoroughly reviewed with the transport network companies, which is why there was a one- to two-week lull as we examined the records one by one,” Gatchalian said. The data cleansing process was necessary to prevent delays, duplicate entries, and other issues during the distribution of assistance, he said. He assured the public that the government has the funds to cover all qualified drivers and riders. Among the beneficiaries was Grab driver Jayson Amancio of Pasig, who said the payout process took only a few minutes, and described the P5,000 cash aid as a big help amid rising fuel costs. Move It rider Kier Almirol from Cavite thanked the DSWD for the smooth and organized distribution.
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