DSWD chief asks SAP beneficiaries to trust local execs: ‘You elected them’

DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Beneficiaries of the social amelioration program (SAP) who have yet to receive their grants should trust local government officials’ methods, saying they elected them into office in the first place.

This was the response of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rolando Bautista when pressed over the delayed distribution of the COVID-19 pandemic assistance, despite the original deadline nearly lapsing on Thursday.

Several local government units (LGUs) have garnered criticism because of the delayed distribution of the SAP grants, despite DSWD reporting that P80.8 billion of the funds allocated to the program being transferred to LGUs.  Bautista said that the problems stem from the lack of LGU personnel to help in the distribution.

“Sana intindihin na lang kasi in the first place kayo po ang namili ng inyong mga pinuno, so dapat po ay bigyan niyo sila ng tiwala dahil sabi ko nga, naniniwala po ako 100 percent hindi kayo pababayaan ng inyong mga local chief executive,” Bautista said in an interview with DZMM.

(I hope they just understand the local officials because in the first place they are the ones who chose their leaders, so they should give them your trust.  As I said, I totally believe that you would not be forsaken by the local chief executives.)

“Siguro, in fairness din po sa ating mga local chief executives sa mga mayors, alam na alam po natin na ginagawan din po nila ng paraan, kasi kung sino man ‘yong nasa katayuan nila, wala naman po siguro silang intensyon na hindi sila mabigyan,” he added.

(Maybe, in fairness to our local chief executives, our mayors, we know that they are finding ways to address the issues, because anyone in their position would have no intention to deprive them of assistance.)

Bautista also said that people cannot pin the blame on local officials alone, as they are working hard to address the people’s needs.

“Unang-una po sa ating mga kababayan, siguro dagdagan na lang po natin ang pag-unawa natin, kasi po ‘yong mga local chief executives ay alam rin po ang situation sa ground,” Bautista noted.

(Maybe our countrymen should just be more understanding, because our local chief executives know the situation on the ground better.)

“Siguro, hindi rin po natin siguro pwedeng sisihin ang local chief executives kasi nakita ko rin po ‘yong mga barangay officials talagang gumagawa rin po ng paraan,” he added.

(Maybe, we could not blame the local chief executives because we see that the barangay officials are really finding ways.)

Last Tuesday, DSWD said that out of the P80.7 billion funds transferred to LGUs, only P43 billion have reached the beneficiaries.  Then on Wednesday, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Martin Diño revealed that almost all of the LGUs in Metro Manila have not completed providing the SAP to low-income families.

Diño, DILG’s undersecretary for barangay affairs, suggested that local chief executives should instead tap barangay officials to help in disbursing the social aid.

Of the P80.7 billion, P16.4 billion was given to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries with cash cards, P23.8 billion has been to low income families not part of the 4Ps, while P36.4 million was provided to 4Ps beneficiaries who had not registered their cash cards.

Another P323.3 million was also handed out to public utility drivers in the National Capital Region.

An incident in Lucena City in Quezon province where people queued for hours, violating physical distancing regulations, also raised speculations that LGUs are rushing the SAP distribution to meet the April 30 deadline.

The SAP is a by-product of Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act of 2020.  Under the said law, at least 18 million families should receive financial aid per month, ranging from P5,000 to P8,000 depending on the minimum wage per region.

On Wednesday, DSWD vowed to discuss the issues with LGUs, but Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago said that the department should not leave local governments alone in these programs.

JPV