Include poor families in GCQ areas in 2nd tranche of SAP, Bayan tells gov’t

MANILA, Philippines — Activist group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) on Thursday called on the government to include poor families living in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) as beneficiaries of the second tranche of the social amelioration program (SAP).

Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes said the cash assistance should be given to everyone struggling to make ends meet during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic that has been adversely affecting the jobs of many Filipinos.

“Hindi dahil nasa GCQ na ay makakabalik na ang lahat ng manggagawa sa trabaho. May ilan na di pa rin makakapag-hanapbuhay. May ilan na tuluyan nang nawalan ng trabaho. Dapat silang patuloy na nakatanggap ng social amelioration o ayuda mula sa gobyerno,” Reyes said in a statement.

(It does not mean that just because they are living in areas to be placed under GCQ, all of them will be able to go back to their jobs. Some of them still can’t work. Some of them have completely lost their jobs. They should continue to receive social amelioration from the government.)

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier announced that around 11.5 million families in areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) will receive the cash aid from the government under the second tranche of SAP.

But instead of limiting the beneficiaries to areas in ECQ, the Department of Social Welfare and Development should identify if all beneficiaries of the first tranche of SAP can already return to their jobs once revised quarantine measures take effect on May 16.

“Sa deliberasyon sa Kongreso pera sa emergency powers, nangako ang gobyerno ng SAP na aabot sa P200B para sa 18 milyong pamilya, kasya para sa dalawang buwan. Walang sinabi na dapat nasa ECQ lang ang bibigyan ng SAP,” said Reyes.

(During the deliberation of Congress for emergency powers, the government promised to distribute SAP cash aid amounting to nearly P200 billion for 18 million families, which can last for two months. There was no mention of giving SAP only to those in areas under ECQ.)

“Natapos na ang isang buwan at kung gayon may natitira pa dapat na P100B para sa 18 milyong pamilya, sila man ay nasa ECQ o hindi (The first month of distribution is done and if that is the case, then there should still be P100 billion for 18 million families, whether or not they live in areas under ECQ),” he added.

Lawmakers from the minority bloc of the House of Representatives also earlier urged the government to include residents in areas under GCQ in the beneficiaries of the second tranche of the cash aid distribution.

EDV