10 welfare programs cost taxpayers US$2.6B+

Santo Domingo.- The cards Bonoluz for drivers and Bonogas for low income homes, and Eating is first, incentive to school attendance, among others, are part of the group of 10 types of social assistance the State grants to poor and vulnerable households, with which seeks to guarantee their access to public and social services.

In addition, the subsidies seek the sustainable development and improvement of the poverty conditions of these families, according to the website of the Social Policy Coordination Cabinet, institution responsible for formulating, executing, monitoring and evaluating the programs included in the Social Protection System.

But the improvement of the living conditions of 2,578,065 subsidized people falls on the rest of the Dominicans. Since the social assistance programs began in 2004, the State has spent RD$139.0 billion (US$2.6 billion), according to figures from the Social Subsidies Administrator (ADESS).