DILG: Those who got additional cash aid must return SAP or face charges

MANILA, Philippines — Those who got additional cash aid aside from the first tranche of the social amelioration program (SAP) must return the SAP cash aid or face charges, The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Thursday.

“Kung hindi kayo magsauli makakatanggap kayo ng demand letter mula sa DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development). At posible na kapag hindi nasasuli, alam niyo naman ang implikasyon ng demand letter,” Interior Undersecretary and Spokesman Jonathan Malaya said over dzbb when asked about those who got double cash aids from the government.

(If you will not return the cash aid, you will receive a demand letter from the DSWD. And possibly if you won’t return the cash aid, there is an implication for the demand letter.)

“A demand letter is a legal document issued by a competent authority requesting you to return so merong option to magcomply kaagad at kung hindi there is a possibility na kayo ay mahabla,” Malaya added.

(A demand letter is a legal document issued by a competent authority requesting you to return so there is an option to comply immediately and if not, there is a possibility that you will be charged.)

Malaya made the statement after receiving reports that some residents who had accepted cash aid from the SAP also got financial subsidies either from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) or the small business wage program of the Social Security System (SSS).

“May database ang SSS, electronic kasi sila ang pagbibigay. May mga employers na nag-apply sa small business wage program. Ngayon sa DSWD, ine-encode ng LGUs (local government units) ‘yung beneficiaries nila in an excel format. At ito ay requirement for liquidation for LGUs so mahuhuli talaga ang hindi magsauli,” Malaya said.

(SSS has a database because its cash aid is being distributed electronically. There are some employers who applied for the small business wage program. The DSWD’s beneficiaries are being encoded by the LGUs in an excel format. This is a requirement for liquidation for LGUs so they can go after those who cannot return the double cash aid.)

“So nakikiusap kami sa lahat kapag hindi niyo sinauli may isang pamilya na qualified na hindi nakatanggap,” he added.

(So I am appealing to the public that if you will not return the cash aid some qualified families will not receive the SAP.)

Malaya said the government had decided to require residents to return their SAP aid because other government programs such as those of the SSS are distributed through banks which would be difficult to return.

“Ang naging decision ng techncial working group ang isasauli ay yung sa DSWD, yung SSS kasi yan ay binibigay sa bangko so mahirap sauliin yun pero yung sa DSWD pwede mo ibigya sa social worker at bibigyan ng resibo ng treasure’s office,” he said.

The first tranche of government’s SAP, which is distributed by the DSWD, was given to some 18 million poor families who were affected by the coronavirus disease crisis. Low-income families received cash assistance from P5,000 to P8,000, depending on the minimum wage per region.

Aside from the SAP, the SSS also provided cash grants to small-business employees to help them cope with the economic effects of the coronavirus disease pandemic.

DOLE also has its COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) which gives P5,000 cash aid to formal sector workers affected by the pandemic.

/MUF