DSWD sees smooth P227-M cash relief disbursement

A special government cash relief distribution for ride-hailing and delivery drivers rolled out smoothly across Metro Manila over the weekend, with disbursements reaching P227.61 million, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) announced Sunday.

The DSWD distributed P5,000 in cash assistance to each of the 45,522 beneficiaries under the agency’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.

The recipients included Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers, motorcycle taxi riders, and delivery personnel from major transport network companies (TNCs), including Grab, JoyRide and InDrive.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in a statement that organizing the distribution operations by specific company significantly improved efficiency.

“Our payout operations became more orderly, faster, and better organized because we conducted it per company,” Dumlao said.

Close coordination between the social welfare agency and the transport companies streamlined the identity verification process.

It also prevented overcrowding at the two primary payout sites — the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City and the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

According to agency data recorded Saturday, Grab accounted for the largest share of beneficiaries, with 37,344 drivers receiving a total of P186.72 million.

JoyRide, on the other hand, recorded 4,300 beneficiaries receiving P21.50 million, while InDrive had 3,878 drivers receiving P19.39 million.

Dumlao credited the transport companies for assisting the agency in identifying accessible, convenient venues for their fleets.

The DSWD continued its distribution operations Sunday, focusing on releasing unclaimed cash assistance to two-wheel and four-wheel JoyRide drivers at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni inside the UP Diliman campus.