Vice President Rafael Alburquerque, who is the head of the new Sistema Unico de Beneficiarios, a program to benefit the Dominican Republic’s poor, said the Siuben program will reach out to 1.2 million families in its first phase. The United Nations, the Interamerican Development Bank and the World Bank will assist the government in the initiative. Preliminary preparation will include a census of the sectors to receive the assistance, beginning in the slum area of Guachupita. Vice-President Alburquerque made the announcement during a press conference at the Presidential Palace. The local representative of the United Nations’ Development Program, Niky Fabiancic, also spoke at the event to highlight their support.