Who is a destitute?

 A destitute is a person who is socio-economically disadvantaged. The destitute persons are characterized into two types:

  Permanent Destitute

An individual who is unable to engage in sustainable economic activities due to:

•  disability
•    chronic health condition
•    Insufficient assets and income sources.

Who qualifies?

 An individual who is:

• Possessing not more than four livestock units
• Earning or receiving an income of less than P120.00 per month without dependents or less than P150.00 per month with the dependents

A dependent is someone who is under 18 years of age, who depends on an adult for more than half of his or her subsistence.

Temporary Destitute

A person who is temporarily incapacitated until he/she can support him/herself due to:

•  Floods
• Fire
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Ill- health, etc

They are usually able bodied people who are encouraged to engage in the rehabilitation programmes so as to exit the destitution programme.

NB: The category in which the destitute person will be placed is determined by the social workers after assessment.

What assistance do I get?

Food Basket

Destitute persons are provided with a food basket every month and this caters for both the beneficiary and his/her children who are 18 years and below or are still in school

 Shelter

 Shelter is provided where the destitute person is found on assessment to be lacking such shelter.

 Burial

•  Destitute persons are buried at the locality where death occurs or where the person regularly resides.

• Where relatives need a private burial or want the deceased to be buried in a location where they did reside, they are free to bury them at their own expense.

 What happens to the family of deceased?

• In the event of death all assistance except funeral expenses will cease to be issued in the deceased’s name.

• The re-assessment will be taken to determine the new head of household as well as the level of assistance.

 Cash allowance

 Destitute persons qualify for a cash allowance of P81 every month.

 Other basic necessities

 In addition to that needy students are supported with school uniform, toiletry, private clothing and other educational needs.

  Exemption from access to services

 All categories of destitute persons are exempted from payment of publicly provided services. These include medical fees, school fees, water charges, service levy and electricity charges.