MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Magandang umaga, Malacañang Press Corps, and welcome sa ating press briefing ngayong araw, September the 12th.

In a sectoral meeting led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., various government agencies provided updates on the implementation of the Executive Order No. 39 imposing mandated price ceiling on regular and well-milled rice.

Isa sa mga paraan para tulungan ang mga apektadong rice retailers ang pamimigay ng Department of Social Welfare and Development ng cash assistance sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa na nagsimula nitong Sabado.

And to give us updates on the ongoing disbursement of livelihood grants to rice retailers, we have today DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian. Good morning, Secretary Rex.

DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: Good morning, Daphne. Magandang umaga sa inyong lahat. Thank you for having me this morning.

So as mentioned, upon the President’s directives—before that, let me just say that the DSWD welcomes the executive order kasi ang mga kliyente namin ang nakikinabang sa executive order na ito. It’s a means of social protection to protecting the most vulnerable who may not have means to buy rice at a very steep price – na noong lumabas iyong executive order, una kaming nagpahayag ng suporta namin sa DSWD dahil iyong mga kliyente namin, sila iyong pinakanaapektuhan kapag tumataas ang presyo ng bilihin. So, iyon ang una naming pasasalamat.

Pangalawa, sa instruction ng ating Pangulo, naatasan kami na siguraduhin rin na iyong kapakanan ng mga micro and small rice retailers natin mapangalagaan. Ang ginamit natin na behikulo dito ay iyong programa na mainstay na, matagal nang programa ng DSWD – iyong Sustainable Livelihood Program. Iyong Sustainable Livelihood Program, hindi iyan ginawa lang para sa pagkakataon na ito kung hindi talagang mekanismo iyan ng Department of Social Welfare and Development para, una, matulungan ang mga mahihirap, informal, vulnerable at marginalized natin na mga kababayan na gustong maghanapbuhay.

Sa programa na ito binibigyan sila ng seed capital, unang mode iyon; pangalawa, buildup ng kanilang kapital sa mga pagkakataon na hindi inaasahan katulad nito. So, ito iyong ating programa ng Pangulo para matulungan ang mga micro/small rice retailer natin. Ang bawat micro and small rice retailer ay makakatanggap ng P15,000 para ma-shore up ang kanilang kapital. Kasi alam naman natin, iyong price cap maski papaano ay nakakaapekto sa kanilang kapital kaya una kaagad na pinatawag ng Pangulo ang DSWD para usisain kami kung ano ang puwede naming gawin para sa mga maliliit nating mga negosyante – iyong mga small/micro rice retailer natin kaya ito iyong hinain namin at naaprubahan niya iyong gamitin ito.

Initially this year, ang appropriation ng programa na ito ay six billion pesos; of which, around 5.3 to 5.4 ang natitira pa na unobligated sa kaniyang pondo – that means, kayang-kayang ma-absorb iyong programa na ito without new appropriation. Although nagpapasalamat din kami sa ating House, sa pamumuno ni Speaker Romualdez na noong nilunsad itong SLP program para sa ating mga micro rice retailers, nagpahayag sila na maghahanap pa sila ng karagdagang pondo – almost two billion pesos – kung sakaling kukulangin ang DSWD. So, doon nagpapasalamat kami kay Speaker Romualdez sa proactive stance nila na iyon.

Now, noong Sabado nagsimula tayo sa mga sumusunod na siyudad: San Juan, Caloocan at Quezon City. Kahapon, nasama na ang Parañaque, Navotas at ang Zamboanga del Sur. Total na nabigyan natin ng livelihood grant ay 474 na rice retailers na nagkakahalaga ng 7.5 million pesos. Medyo maliit pa iyong catchment natin pero sa araw na ito hanggang sa 14th, lalaki at bibilis ito dahil simultaneous na ang payout natin sa iba’t ibang rehiyon at iba’t ibang mga highly urbanized cities.

Ayon sa DTI, ang proseso kasi na naganap, DTI ang mag-a-identify; DTI ang magba-validate kasi technical expertise nila iyon. At kapag may listahan na sila ay pinapasa nila sa DSWD kasi kami naman iyong may mekanismo at programa para sa payout – iyon ang working pattern namin ng DTI and DSWD. In fact we have a working group that meets every other day led by Usec. Carol Sanchez ng DTI para masigurado na iyong flow ng trabaho ay mabilis. Gusto ng Pangulo natin na makarating ang livelihood grant sa ating micro rice retailers sa mabilis na panahon.

On top of that, in the next three days din, so mula kahapon hanggang sa 14th, importante sa amin na mabigay lahat kaagad ito dahil mag-e-election ban din. At bagama’t nag-apply kami ng exemption sa Comelec at nananalig kami na mabibigyan kami ng exemption pero we cannot preempt the good Comelec from saying na mabibigyan kami … eh talagang self-imposed deadline namin sa—utos ng Pangulo is September 14 – that should cover all the regions.

Now, sa initial list na binigay ng DTI sa atin, ang kanilang naitala na mga micro and small rice retailers na nasa loob ng mga public markets and private markets na mayroong business permit and/or DTI or SEC registration ay nasa 5,942 – that’s the rough list nila. siyempre give or take, mababawasan iyan kasi patuloy na kapag dumadaan doon sa proseso ng pagsasala, we make sure na walang duplicates – bagama’t sila ang nagba-validate kung rice retailer ito na maliit, DSWD has a process of making sure na walang duplicates kaya liliit iyang numero na iyan. But for now, it’s 5,942. Ito iyong mga, uulitin ko, mga micro and small rice retailers na nasa loob ng mga public and private markets na mayroon silang business permit and/or mayroon silang DTI registration or SEC registration kapag partnership iyan.

Ngayon, may mga katanungan tungkol doon sa paano iyong mga nasa labas ng mga public markets – iyan iyong phase 2 naman ng programa. Patuloy na nakikipag-ugnayan ang DTI sa ating mga local government units, sa ating mga iba’t ibang ahensiya at private sector groups katulad ng RECON to get the list para ma-make sure natin na iyong mga wala sa loob ng mga palengke na mga micro/small rice retailers ay mapasama doon sa mga succeeding list na ibibigay nila.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Thank you, Secretary Rex. Are there any questions? Okay. Racquel Bayan, Radyo Pilipinas.

RACQUEL BAYAN/RADYO PILIPINAS: Sir, question lang po. Before po ba natin ibigay iyong cash assistance doon sa mga rice retailers, do we make sure po ba na ini-implement po muna nila iyong price cap o basta nandoon lang po sila sa listahan na binigay sa atin ng DTI?

DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: Kami kasi, wala kami sa implementing; nandoon kami sa financial, sa subsidy. Pero sinisigurado sa atin ng DILG at ng DTI na iyong monitoring nila at ng Department of Agriculture ay mahigpit at alam ko, iniikutan nila lahat ito.

And kapag nagbibigay rin kami ng livelihood grant, ini-emphasize rin natin to make sure na sumusunod sila sa alituntunin. We remind them – remind, remind them. It’s more of the power of convincing na dapat dahil tinutulungan na rin sila ng gobyerno, magtulungan tayo.

Madagdag ko lang din pala, as early as Friday, nag-post na sa social media accounts ng DSWD and ng DTI ng joint infographic on sino, saan at kung paano mag-apela. Let’s say feeling mo na dapat kasama ka pero nakaligtaan ka, puwede kang mag-apply online, nandoon na iyong mga detalye; or doon sa mga payment center, iyong kapag nagpi-payout kami, mayroon ding grievance desk na itinaguyod ang DTI. So kapag pumunta doon iyong isang tao at sinasabi niya, ‘Ako ay rice retailer, bakit wala ako dito,’ kaagad naming kina-capture iyong data, ng DTI, ibi-verify then ipapasa ulit sa DSWD.

So ang mensahe namin sa mga small rice retailers, antabayanan ninyo ang schedule sa inyong mga lugar. Pero kung sakaling dumaan na sa inyong lugar pero hindi kayo napasama at naniniwala kayo na dapat kasama kayo, puwede kayong pumunta sa social media accounts ng DSWD or ng DTI, nandoon iyong appeals process natin.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Harley Valbuena, DZME.

HARLEY VALBUENA/DZME: Hello. Good morning po. Sir, I believe na nag-meeting kahapon iyong officials ng DSWD and DTI to finalize the timeline ng cash payout doon po sa assistance natin. So may nabuo na po ba tayong timeline?

DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: Iyon iyong nasabi namin that we have to operate on the premise that wala pa kaming exemption at this point in time. So following the law, we have to stop by the 15, so by September 14 ang goal natin is matapos natin at least all highly urbanized cities and regions. But we did file for exemption, and we are hopeful na makuha namin iyon so that kapag sakaling may spillover—kasi bigyan ko kayo ng example. In Quezon City, plano naming bumalik kasi hindi lahat ng beneficiaries ay nakapunta noong isang araw. We promised that we will go back to areas na may mga hindi nakasipot na mga nasa list so that we can make sure na mabigyan din sila ng livelihood grant. That’s a basis for appeal.

The President instructed us to finish this at the soonest possible time. He likes the idea of finishing it by the 14th, pero we told him na we would really want … we have applied for an exemption in the eventuality na may mga unforeseen circumstances that will cause some delays.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Haydee Sampang, FEBC.

HAYDEE SAMPANG/FEBC: Good morning, Sec. Initially po, ano iyong mga nakita nating challenges doon sa distribution process? Thank you.

DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: I can only speak about the distribution side ha, kasi the identification side, I leave that to DTI. Sa challenge sa side namin will be, number one, iyong mga beneficiaries ay hindi pumupunta. Because remember, these are micro, small rice entrepreneurs, naghahanapbuhay rin sila. They cannot just close their shop and come to our payout. As a solution, we started scheduling payouts during iyong non-peak market times, like 1 P.M., 2 P.M., just to accommodate them.

Also, we also came up with a return bout, we call it, the return dates namin sa mga areas na iyon with the hope that they can come out. Like noong Saturday, dahil first day iyon, mga 15% lang ang sumipot doon sa listahan despite the LGUs reminding them. But iyon nga, ang common nila na kuwento sa amin because the payout was at 8 A.M. on a Saturday which is the very peak of going market day, sabi nila baka puwedeng bumalik kami sa dead time – ibig sabihin, non-peak time nila. So that’s one, iyong mga beneficiaries are not coming.

Pero yesterday, I’m glad to report that near perfect, almost everybody came because nga we took cognizance of the fact na we have to adjust our time doon sa ano. Hindi naman kasi ito malalaking retailers na may mga empleyado; sila rin iyong nagpapatakbo ng kanila mga tindahan, so they cannot just close shop just like that.

Another difficulty that we are having, but more of DTI, but you can ask them, but because I work closely with them, we hear it – iyong we were trying to capture as much as we can. So they spoke to GRECON, iyong rice retailers group. The list of GRECON isn’t as comprehensive anymore because of the rice tariffication law. Noong nawala na iyong NFA sa regulation ng mga nag-aangkat ng bigas at nagbibenta ng bigas, medyo naging loose iyong listahan na iyon, bagamat mayroon pa rin silang listahan na ibibigay.

So that’s why DTI, I’m not supposed to speak for them but wala sila rito, I can probably give you a bird’s eye view of what they’ve been doing. They’re talking to GRECON. They are also looking at other agencies like NFA’s 2019 retailers list. They are talking to PSA. They are talking to SSS. They are talking to local government units. Anywhere we can get a list of micro and small rice retailers, we’re making that as a rule of thumb na mapasok sila doon sa database. Talking to market masters; talking to the private sector. Importante kasi na we capture as many as we can, and that’s where one of the struggles are. Kaya ang nangyayari tuloy, iyong binigay sa amin na list, which is okay with us, batch by batch.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN.

KATRINA DOMINGO/ABS-CBN: Hi, sir. Sir, ano iyong downside of the DSWD going to markets, stall to stall, store to store, instead na sila iyong pupunta sa DSWD?

DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: It’s not very difficult for us. Remember when we do payouts naman talaga for emergency cash transfer during disasters or iyong assistance to individuals in crisis situation, talagang we do it outside. We don’t want them to always come to DSWD in bulk kasi nagkakaroon nga ng eksena na dinudumog iyong mga regional offices namin. Kaya kung makikita ninyo iyong pinost namin na anunsiyo ng DTI, niri-request namin na huwag pumunta sa DTI office, huwag pumunta sa DSWD; antayin ninyo na kami ang pupunta sa inyo.

Kasi can you imagine kapag lahat sila sabay-sabay, that’s close to 6,000 individuals coming to us and we also have to adjust to their peculiar circumstance. These are micro entrepreneurs, malamang sila na rin iyong accountant, sila iyong tindera, sila iyong lahat. So by you pulling them out of their workplace, that means one lost business day iyon for them. So we really made that conscious effort na kami ang pupunta sa kanila.

KATRINA DOMINGO/ABS-CBN: Sir, one more question. It’s similar to the fuel subsidy in a sense na you are augmenting their capital. Are there plans to have a second tranche for those na naka-receive na?

DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: Well, at this point in time ‘di ba before the President left for the ASEAN, in his departure address he said that the price cap isn’t meant to last long so that’s why we’re sticking to that. By me, in gauging that question, that means we’re already entertaining a prolonged period of EO 39 which is not the directive or the direction of the President.

So, kaya nga sabi niya kanina sa amin when we met, “Tapusin na kaagad iyang distribution ng livelihood grants to shore-up their capital.” So, ang window nga namin…natuwa nga siya na may self-imposed deadline whether by law or by ourselves na September 14 dapat tapos na kami pero I’m telling you right now na that may be a bit steep of a task because nga may return date kami. Malamang we’ll be going back to the cities again and again until ma-cover namin lahat ng nasa listahan.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Alvin Baltazar, PBS.

ALVIN BALTAZAR/PBS: Secretary, magandang umaga po. Sir, kanina doon sa sectoral meeting mayroon bang bagong directives si Pangulo? At saka aside from iyong option na price cap, may mga bagong measures ba na napag-usapan as other options para mapababa iyong presyo ng bigas?

DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: There are, but I don’t think I’m the right person to speak about it. I think the economic team and the more experts like the Department of Agriculture will be in a better position to answer. Alam ko may mga plano sila, the President always has plans. But sa amin, the directive to us is a simple as this – finish the livelihood grants distribution in the fastest time possible.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Tuesday Niu, BZBB.

TUESDAY NIU/DZBB: Hi, sir. Iyong 15,000 pesos po na ayuda per retailer, 15,000 pesos din iyong matatanggap ng isang tindero o tindera na hindi naman ganoon kalaki iyong kapital nila sa pagtitinda ng bigas?

DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: Tuesday, first of all ayaw naming tawaging ayuda ito – these are livelihood grants, ibig sabihin hindi ito dole out kung hindi alam namin na mga entrepreneurs ito, pinaiikot nila iyan. Hindi lang nila ginusto itong nangyari, they weren’t really asking for dole outs or weren’t asking for social welfare but this is an initiative of the President to protect our smallest entrepreneurs because MSMEs means a lot to him.

So, let’s not call it dole outs kasi for somebody who is earning a living like the micro entrepreneurs masakit sa kanila iyon na parang…kaya nga sila naghahanapbuhay tapos biglang tatawagin nating dole outs – these are livelihood grants. We make a very distinct term for that, we don’t want to call it dole outs kasi ulitin ko, hindi nila ginusto ito at bago naman ito nangyari ay naghahanapbuhay sila and panandalian lang ito, hindi ito iyong ibig sabihin forever hihingi sila kundi pagbigay nito, shore-up their capital, bababa naman iyong presyo ng bigas sabi nga ng Department of Agriculture, babalik na sila sa normal nilang paghahanapbuhay.

Now kung bakit 15,000 – kasi sa pag-compute ng DTI you might really have to ask them – they believe that this the fair amount that a small rice retailer may lose – may ha, siyempre mayroon ngang iba na mas slightly bigger in that short time span. We have to remember these are micro rice retailers – so baka iyong imbentaryo nila ay hindi rin naman kalakihan; but mayroon nga admittedly na mas malaking micro than the rest but the SLP kasi namin iyong Sustainable Livelihood Program namin ang guidelines niya from day one – up to 15,000 lang talaga. Hindi naman talaga siya puwedeng pangmalakihan kasi kapag malaki na, I would assume that DTI will take cognizance of them kasi may mga programa ang DTI for medium and larger retailers.

Kami kasi, ‘di ba kaya nga sinimulan ko to define the mandate of the SLP or DSWD – poor, marginalized, vulnerable sector to include the smaller entrepreneurs out there.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Ivan Mayrina, GMA 7.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA 7: Sec, papaano ho iyong classification natin, how do we define micro and small?

DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: Ivan, you might have to ask DTI kasi ‘di ba the task was cut into two eh, expertise nila iyan more than kami. Kami kasi, we’re in the business of social welfare and development; sila they are in the business of trade and industry.

This one I have to pass on to them.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA 7: All right. Ito naman hong 15,000 natin, it’s given to the retailers for them to accept the loss dahil may price cap nga ho na posibleng magbenta sila nang palugi pero wala ho tayong any form of protection in terms of the return – iyon nga ho kasi may mga na-interview kahapon kinuha iyong 15,000 pero sinasabi nila very openly hindi “Hindi kami magbebenta kasi malulugi kami.”

DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: Okay, two things – in the guidelines of the SLP talagang mayroon siyang monitoring mechanism. Post distribution – we will monitor the output, the outcome, hindi lang naman para sa rice retailers kung hindi that’s the main component of every program in DSWD – measuring the outcomes or the success triggers – so mayroon talaga siya. The SLP naman is in the webpage, you can check the guidelines on post-monitoring; but two, I leave that to DILG, DA and DTI who will also be doing the constant monitoring. From my understanding naman, they are very persistent in monitoring even before, during and I would assume after the price cap.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA 7: Thank you.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Jean Mangaluz, Inquirer.net.

JEAN MANGALUZ/INQUIRER.NET: Hi, Sec. I just want to iron out some details and correct me if I’m wrong, there’s 5.3 billion unobligated sa DSWD?

DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: The last time I checked, yes. So moving iyan dahil nag-o-obligate tayo as we speak.

JEAN MANGALUZ/INQUIRER.NET: So, it’s going to be directed to the SLP?

DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: Yes.

JEAN MANGALUZ/INQUIRER.NET: So, how many people will this assist and for how long can it last?

DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: You have to remember … the 5.4 that I mentioned kasi the reason why I mentioned is number one, transparency – you can see it in the GAA naman, it was really six billion but over the months ng taon ginagamit namin iyon.

That 5.4 is not just for the rice retailers, I have to make an emphasis that is a regular ongoing program of the department. But kung tatanungin ninyo kami, kasi I would get questions is “May pera ba?” Yes, mayroon. The President saw to it that mayroon bago niya pinasa sa amin ito; number two, also in the event na kulangin which I don’t foresee it – the House has already given a statement that they will find augmentation for DSWD. That very same night that this was brought to the public’s attention na magkakaroon ng small rice retailers livelihood grants, the House immediately reach out and said “We will augment you, if you need it.” So, the power of the purse is with the Congress and we’re confident that kung kailangan namin, they will be ready.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, we’re good. Thank you so much, Secretary Rex Gatchalian, for the updates on the disbursement of livelihood grants for small rice retailers.

Thank you, Malacañang Press Corps. Good afternoon.

###

—
News and Information Bureau – Transcription Section