Families initially rejected under SAP may be included as more beneficiaries added

MANILA, Philippines — The additional five million beneficiaries under the social amelioration program may include those initially rejected by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Malacañang said Monday.

But this will still be subject to verification by the DSWD, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

“Siguro, titignan din ng DSWD yung mga pamilya na na-reject nung unang beses na nagdesisyon kung sino yung 18 million families na yan,” Roque said in an online press briefing.

(Maybe the DSWD will look at the families who were rejected the first time it was decided who the 18 million families are.)

In a briefing over the weekend, Roque said five million more families would get the cash assistance under SAP on top of the 18 million low-income households in the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act.

Each household will receive P5,000 to P8,000 cash aid depending on the minimum wage rate in their respective regions.

“Ito namang five million additional families, alinsunod yun sa deklarasyon ng Presidente na dapat lahat ng nangangailangan, e dapat mabigyan,” Roque said.

(The additional five million families are in accordance with the declaration of the President that all those who are in need should be given assistance.)

At the same time, Roque said the government is eyeing to exclude families who are under general community quarantine (GCQ) from the SAP since the eased restrictions have allowed them to return to work.

“Wala pa pong desisyon na pinal. Pero mukhang ganun po tayo patungo kasi binuksan na po natin ang ekonomiya ng mga lugar nasa ilalim ng GCQ. Pwede nang maghanapbuhay yung mga mamamayan natin sa GCQ areas,” Roque said when asked if families from GCQ areas will no longer receive cash aid.

(There is no final decision yet. But it looks like the direction is that way since we have opened the economy of areas under GCQ. Those from GCQ areas are now allowed to work again.)

“Hindi pa po pinal yan pero pupuwede po mangyari yan dahil po dinamihan natin yung makakakuha ng ayuda sa SAP. Naging 23 million [families] instead of 18 [million],” he added.

(That’s not final but it may happen since we added more beneficiaries under the SAP. It became 23 million families instead of 18 million.)

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