The government has yet to decide on giving out a second tranche of the livelihood grants, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian said Tuesday, as the price ceiling on rice might be lifted soon.

In a press briefing in Malacañang, Gatchalian said that the decision on whether or not to give a second tranche would depend on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

"The price cap is not meant to last long so that is why we are sticking to that," Gatchalian clarified.

"That's why he said earlier to us when we met during the sectoral meeting to finish the distribution of livelihood grants immediately to shore up the capital," Gatchalian added.

For context, Marcos issued an order capping the price of regular milled rice at P41 per kilogram and well-milled rice at P45 a kilogram.

While Marcos' order may help curb the rising costs of rice, industry players said the price may have detrimental effects on farmers due to lower farmgate prices, and on consumers as this may further limit the supply of the food staple.

With that, Gatchalian said DSWD will be going to markets and stalls to distribute livelihood grants to rice retailers affected by the price ceiling on rice.

He added that his agency will be distributing a total of P15,000 to each rice retailer to help them recover their losses and maintain their businesses.

Gatchalian said the DSWD will be working with the Department of Trade and Industry to identify the eligible rice retailers for the grant. The beneficiaries will be notified through text messages and social media.

The Social Welfare and Development Secretary said that it is targeting to distribute the livelihood grants to all eligible rice retailers by 14 September.

Gatchalian underscored that the livelihood grants are not handouts, saying that these grants are meant to help rice retailers recover their losses and maintain their businesses.

"These are not dole-outs. These are livelihood grants. We want to help these micro-entrepreneurs get back on their feet," he said.

Low turnouts noted

However, DSWD reported a low turnout on the first day of the payout of the P15,000 subsidy to affected micro and small rice retailers.

In the same briefing, Gatchalian said that only about 15 percent of the beneficiaries showed up on the first day of the payout last Saturday, 10 September.

He attributed the low turnout to the fact that the payout was scheduled at 8 a.m. on a Saturday, which is the busiest market time for rice retailers.

"These are micro and small rice entrepreneurs who are also trying to make a living. They can't simply close their shops and come to our payout centers," Gatchalian said.

To address this, the DSWD has started scheduling payouts during non-peak market times, such as 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. The agency has also introduced "return dates" in those areas, where beneficiaries can come back to claim their subsidy at a later time.

"We want to include as many micro and small rice retailers as possible in the database," Gatchalian said.