The Department of Social Welfare and Development on Monday said that it is set to distribute the Sustainable Livelihood Program cash assistance to sari-sari store owners, who are experiencing losses due to the rice price ceiling, starting 26 September 2023.

DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Group Romel Lopez said that the agency will begin paying out qualified sari-sari store owners this week in response to the order of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to assist those affected by the imposed price cap on well-milled and regular-milled rice.

A livelihood cash aid of P15,000 will be given to all qualified sari-sari stores who follow the price cap, in accordance with Department of Trade and Industry and DSWD regulations.

"The one-time SLP-cash assistance program will continue to reach impacted rice retailers, including those small businesses and sari-sari stores," Lopez said.

He added that the agency will prioritize cash aid payout to sari-sari store owners who sell rice within the price cap and whose business is registered in the Business Permit and Licensing Office of their respective local government units.

"The sari-sari store must also have a registration from its Barangay and participate in the nano-retailer program which is supported financially by their LGU in order to qualify for the program and be eligible to receive the cash aid," Lopez said.