No more deadline extension for SAP distribution, says DILG

MANILA, Philippines — The deadline for local government units (LGUs) to distribute the emergency subsidy for qualified constituents would no longer be extended, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Monday.

In a radio interview, Interior Undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said that 1,265 LGUs have already distributed the emergency subsidy under the national government’s social amelioration program (SAP).

The deadline for the program was set on May 10.

READ: DILG extends SAP cash aid distribution nationwide until May 10

“Wala na pong extension. Wala ng extension. Lumalabas sa datos na nakalap namin as of 12 midnight last night, 90.86 percent na po sa buong bansa o ang ating national payout rate ang nakatanggap ng kanilang social amelioration program,” Malaya said.

Malaya, however, clarified that the deadline is only an indicator of the performance of LGUs and does not mean that they should stop distributing the emergency subsidy under the government’s social amelioration program (SAP) to their constituents.

“Siguro ang susunod na tanong niyan ay paano kung may deadline? Ibig sabihin ba nito ay tigil na ba ang pamimigay ng ating LGUs? Hindi po, ang abiso ni Secretary Eduardo Ano sa kanila, hanggang hindi binabawi ng DSWD yang pondong hawak ninyo, tuloy-tuloy lang po ang pamimigay sa inyong mga LGUs dahil ang pondong ito ay para sa ating kababayan na nangangailangan sa panahon na ito,” Malaya said.

The DILG official said that LGUs that were not able to complete the distribution on or before the May 10 deadline are considered to have “very poor performance” and will receive a show cause order from the department.

Meanwhile, LGUs that were able to finish on time will be recognized.

“Ang implikasyon niyan ‘yung mga hindi nakatapos, ‘yung mga mahihina ang kanilang performance, ‘yung mga very poor performance ay mula po ngayong araw ay makakatanggap na ng show cause order mula sa DILG,” Malaya said.

“‘Yan po ang inaasikaso na namin ngayong umaga dito. Hihingi na po kami ng reports sa lahat ng regions sa buong bansa kung sinu-sino ang LGUs na very poor performance at sila po ay pagpapaliwanagin na ng DILG,” he added.

Section 4 (c) of Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act tackles the provision of an emergency subsidy to around 18 million low income households in the country affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The subsidy amounts from P5,000 to P8,000 a month for two months and is computed based on the “prevailing regional minimum wage rates.”

READ: A day before deadline, DILG says SAP distribution about 89 percent complete