THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Sunday said some 200 local government units (LGUs) have yet to complete the distribution of the first tranche of the emergency cash subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
But while the April payout has yet to be 100 percent distributed, Director and spokeswoman Irene Dumlao said the DSWD and the technical working group of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-TWG) is now drawing up the guidelines for the payout of the second tranche, which will be given to an estimated 17 million beneficiaries.
The beneficiaries of P5,000 to P8,000 cash aid include the five million families “left out” from the April payout and the 12 million poor households living in areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and modified ECQ.
Dumlao said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has already downloaded an initial P96 billion for the second tranche of the SAP as early as the middle of April.
The second tranche would be given either through money transfer mechanisms or banks, or in coordination with the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police especially in remote areas.
Dumlao said left out or “wait-listed” families have been asked to fill up SAP forms or register through the ReliefAgad app. Those who received the first tranche are already included in the DSWD list.
UPDATE
Dumlao said 1,433 LGUs have completed the distribution of the April tranche of the SAP funds. Of the number, 552 have submitted their liquidation reports along with the list of SAP beneficiaries who received the first cash aid. Local governments have likewise been asked to submit the list of the left-out families.
A total of P98.6 billion benefited 17.5 million SAP beneficiaries.
Dumlao reiterated the urgency for the LGUs to complete not just the distribution of SAP but also the submission of the liquidation reports and list of beneficiaries are these will still be subjected to a review by the field offices and the DSWD central office.
The completion of the reports will determine which areas can already start the distribution of the second tranche.
Dumlao said no date has been set yet but Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea has already issued the memorandum order that would be used by the DSWD and the IATF-TWG to identify beneficiaries for the second tranche.
The 17 million families, subject to validation by concerned government agencies in coordination with LGUs involved, will receive the SAP payout though the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Program of the DSWD.
