ILOILO CITY: The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Region 6 (DSWD-6) has extended P15,000 worth of assistance to each of 156 micro-small rice retailers in Western Visayas.

The cash aid totaling P2.34 million was released to subsidize the rice retailers affected by the price ceiling for regular milled rice and well-milled rice.

“We thank our staff for making this happen. The speedy response to the needs of the small rice retailers only shows genuine concern for [those] who are affected by the price cap,” said DSWD-6 Director Carmelo Nochete.

During the two-day simultaneous payout, 29 beneficiaries were from Aklan, 17 from Antique, 29 from Capiz, 37 from Negros Occidental, 14 from Iloilo, and 30 from Guimaras.

The beneficiaries were identified by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through its monitoring and profiling of the rice retailers.

Nochete said that aside from the registered rice retailers, unregistered rice retailers will also receive P15,000, while sari-sari store owners will get P5,000.

The regional director has also recently confirmed that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has exempted cash assistance for rice retailers from the election spending ban for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

“Our programs and services will continue. We are happy that the Comelec has granted exemption to our implementation of programs and services because these are for the benefit of the people,” said Nochete.

Other DSWD programs and projects exempted from the election ban include the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Project Lawa, and the Social Pension Program, among others.

The Omnibus Election Code in relation to Comelec Resolution 10944 specifies the prohibition on the release, disbursement, or expenditure of public funds for social welfare projects, construction of public works, and delivery of materials for public works.

Meanwhile, Department of Agriculture-Region 6 director Dennis Arpia said that they are closely working with DTI to update the list of beneficiaries as they continue to profile and monitor rice retailers in the region.

“As of now, the good news is that the compliance level of our retailers here in the region is high, and we also anticipated this because our harvest is ongoing,” he added.