MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said it will assist the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the distribution of the second tranche of cash aid under the social amelioration program (SAP).
“In compliance with PRRD (President Rodrigo Duterte’s) orders, the 205,000 strong PNP will help facilitate the distribution of the second tranche of the government’s cash subsidy or the social amelioration aid to all beneficiaries,” PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said in a statement to reporters on Wednesday.
“We are in constant touch with DSWD and AFP with whom we are collaborating to map out systems and procedures utilizing resources and personnel of the military and police to reach out to all SAP beneficiaries in the barangay,” he added.
Banac’s reaction came after DSWD chief Rolando Bautista said in a televised meeting with Duterte on Tuesday night that the agency has initial coordination with PNP and AFP to facilitate the distribution of the second tranche of cash aid to poor families.
To recall, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the inclusion of an additional 5 million low-income households as beneficiaries of the government’s SAP as the COVID-19 crisis continues.
This is on top of the 18 million poor families that received a monthly P5,000 to P8,000 cash aid for two months under the Bayanihan To Heal as One Act.