DSWD: 16.3-M SAP beneficiaries given cash aid

MANILA, Philippines —The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Tuesday said that 16.3 million families affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis have received cash aid from the government.

Citing data from the DSWD as of May 11, DSWD chief Rolando Bautista said the department released P92.1 billion of social amelioration program (SAP)funds to recipients.

“As of May 11, 2020, umabot na sa mahigit P92.1 billion ang naipamahagi sa mahigit 16.3 million na benepisyaryo ng social amelioration program,” Bautista said.

(As of May 11, 2020, a total of P92.1 billion has been distributed to more than 16.3 million beneficiaries of the social amelioration program.)

Under Republic Act 11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal As One Act”, a total of P100 billion worth of cash assistance will be provided to 18 million low-income families affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Each qualified family will receive a cash subsidy ranging from P5,000 to P8,000, depending on prevailing regional minimum wage rates.

Out of the total funds, P74.4 billion of which was distributed by local government units to 12.2 million low-income, non-Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, P16.3 billion was distributed to 3.7 million 4Ps beneficiaries who are cash cardholders, and P1.01 billion was provided to 278,433 4Ps beneficiaries who do not have cash card accounts.

“Mahigit P323.4 million na rin ang naipamahagi sa 40,418 transport network vehicle service (TNVS) at public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers sa National Capital Region,” Bautista said.

(More than P323.4 million has also been distributed to 40,418 TNVS and PUV drivers in the National Capital Region.)

This comes two days after the extended deadline of SAP distribution, slated on May 10. The Department of Interior and Local Government said that it would not further extend the distribution of cash assistance.

However,  DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya previously clarified that the deadline was only an indicator of the performance of local government units, and it does not mean it would also stop distributing the cash assistance.

“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 previously said.

(Maybe the next question would mean that what if there’s a deadline? Does this mean that the LGUs would stop? No, the advice of Secretary Eduardo Año said that as long as the DSWD would not ask to take back the cash fund that they have, the distribution will still continue because that is for our fellowmen who are in dire need during this time.)

But Bautista said that 1,025 LGUs have already reported a “100 percent completion rate” in SAP distribution.

Likewise, 140 LGUs have submitted complete liquidation reports in the implementation of SAP, the DSWD chief added.