Monday, July 21, 2008 DSWD says 1.7M residents benefited from excess VAT
THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported to Malacañang that about 1.756 million lifeline residents nationwide have already benefited from the P2-billion subsidy funds from the excess value added tax (VAT) earnings during the first quarter of the year.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the DSWD, in cooperation with Landbank of the Philippines, has already released and distributed a total of P4.58 million to about 916,444 lifeline consumers of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco).
The DSWD, in its report, said these lifeline users, or those who consume electricity of 100 kilowatts or less, which amounts to P800 or less, belong to residents from Metro Manila, and Regions 3 (Central Luzon) and 4-A (Calabarzon).
The "Katas ng VAT: Pantawid Kuryente" has also benefited 840,131 lifeline users serviced by electric cooperatives under the National Electrification administration (NEA), which amounts to P420 million.
Ermita said the program aims to serve four million lifeline users, but another P1-billion allocation from the VAT excess earning for the second quarter would serve two million more lifeline users, "bringing the overall total to six million beneficiaries or 75 percent of the 8 million lifeline users".
"The Katas ng VAT on oil is a way of the Arroyo administration to give back to the people the fruits of economic reforms," he added.
The DSWD, in the same report to Ermita, reported that it has released an additional P144.37 million to augment current relief and rehabilitation programs in Panay Island and other provinces affected by typhoon Frank.
"The DSWD has begun implementing its intensive recovery and rehabilitation projects for typhoon victims in Regions 4-B (Mimaropa), 5 (Bicol), and 6 (Iloilo). These efforts are focused on the repair of totally damaged houses through the Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) and the Cash and Food-for-Work (C/FFW) and livelihood assistance," Ermita said.
Of the said amount, P33.9 million has been allocated under the ESA for the repair of 1,243 shelters in Kalibo, 240 in Iloilo City, 100 in Iloilo province, and 35 in Antique.
While P40 million went to relief augmentation of local government units in the typhoon-affected areas for relief, financial and livelihood.
Another P70.47 million has been released to the affected regions for the purchase of relief supplies among others. (JMR/Sunnex)
