Adequacy and Coverage of Social Assistance Benefits During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Key Messages:

• Poor and vulnerable people pin their hopes on social assistance benefits–particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• The government has expanded coverage of beneficiaries and value of the benefit channeled through social assistance programs, either regular or ad hoc, to anticipate the socioeconomic impacts of Covid-19.
• Economic stimulus and social assistance provided during the Covid-19 pandemic have not significantly eased the economic hardship on families and reached all groups of people in need.
• The government needs to consider expanding existing social assistance policies to increase the benefit value, coverage, and more accurate delivery perspectives.