CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar — For 64-year-old Lydia Boloboco, ₱2,000 may not seem like a large amount of money, but for a woman who lives alone, has no children and no regular source of income, the government assistance means something much bigger: a little more room to get through the day.
Boloboco, a resident of Barangay Maulong in Catbalogan City, was among the beneficiaries who received ₱2,000 in cash assistance under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Assistance.
She said the money would go toward her basic daily necessities.
“Mahalaga ini ha akon kay waray man ako pakabuhi, labi na kay ako la usa, waray ko man mga anak, nag-uusahan la ako ha balay,” Boloboco said, explaining that the assistance is important to her because she has no source of income, has no children and lives by herself.
₱2,000 reaches more than 1,400 beneficiaries in Catbalogan
Boloboco was part of a much larger payout conducted in Catbalogan City on August 10, 2026.
According to DSWD Samar, 1,429 Walang Gutom Program beneficiaries from 54 barangays received ₱2,000 each, bringing the total assistance distributed during the payout to ₱2.858 million.
The assistance came under the government’s UPLIFT initiative, which was expanded nationwide as part of efforts to help vulnerable households cope with the economic effects of the energy emergency and higher prices of basic goods.
For beneficiaries under the Walang Gutom Program and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the ₱2,000 UPLIFT assistance is a one-time grant. This is different from the support intended for other UPLIFT beneficiary groups.
What is UPLIFT?
The Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport, or UPLIFT, is a government assistance initiative designed to cushion poor, near-poor and low-income households from rising costs associated with food, transportation, fuel and other basic necessities.
DSWD said the national program targets 7.5 million households, divided into three broad groups:
- 3.5 million households enrolled in 4Ps and the Walang Gutom Program;
- 2.5 million poor and near-poor households identified through the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2024 Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS); and
- 1.5 million low-income Social Security System members.
The assistance differs according to the beneficiary group. DSWD said 4Ps beneficiaries receive a one-time ₱2,000 grant, while the CBMS-identified Group 2 beneficiaries are scheduled to receive ₱2,000 monthly from July through December 2026, subject to program rules and fund availability.
Regional implementation reports show how broadly the program is being rolled out. In Central Visayas, for example, more than 135,000 eligible 4Ps families in Cebu and Bohol were scheduled to receive the one-time ₱2,000 top-up. Meanwhile, more than 23,000 Walang Gutom beneficiaries in Cebu and Bohol were also identified for UPLIFT assistance.
In CALABARZON, DSWD reported that 209,476 4Ps families had already received the additional ₱2,000 assistance by July 20, while an initial pilot distribution also reached more than 5,000 Group 2 households.
For Boloboco, the money means basic necessities
While national figures show the scale of the program, Boloboco’s story illustrates its more immediate purpose.
With no regular source of income and no children to depend on, she said the assistance would help her cover everyday expenses while living alone.
Her situation is similar to those of other vulnerable beneficiaries who have described the UPLIFT grant as a way to stretch already limited household budgets.
In Palayan City, Nueva Ecija, beneficiaries said their ₱2,000 assistance would help pay for food, medicines and other household necessities. In Pangasinan, a beneficiary with a physical disability likewise said the financial support would help provide food and other essentials for his family.
The Philippine News Agency also reported that the UPLIFT and Walang Gutom programs were reaching tens of thousands of vulnerable households in the Bicol Region as the government continued its rollout of cash and food assistance.
No application for UPLIFT assistance
For Filipinos wondering whether they need to register to receive UPLIFT assistance, DSWD has clarified that there is no separate application process for the program.
Beneficiaries are selected through existing government databases, including the DSWD’s records of 4Ps and Walang Gutom beneficiaries and the PSA’s 2024 CBMS for eligible poor and near-poor households. DSWD has also warned the public against scammers who may ask for registration fees or personal financial information in exchange for supposed UPLIFT assistance.
For Boloboco, however, the significance of the payout is much simpler.
It means she has a little more money for the necessities of everyday life.
“Salamat kan PBBM, nakatagamtam ako gihapon,” she said, expressing her gratitude for the assistance.
And while ₱2,000 cannot solve every financial difficulty, for a 64-year-old woman facing life alone without a regular income, even temporary relief can make the next day a little easier.
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