SOCIAL Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista on Monday said only about 25 percent or 385 out of 1,562 local government units (LGUs) nationwide have completed the distribution of the first tranche of the emergency cash subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
Bautista, during the Laging Handa network briefing, also reported that only 10 out of the 385 local governments have submitted their liquidation reports for April as of May 3.
He reminded all local government executives that the submission of the liquidation report for the April payout is a requirement before the DSWD could approve the release of the May payout.
Bautista said as of 8 p.m. of May 3, DSWD had already downloaded P80.8 billion of SAP funds to 1,516 LGUs nationwide, or 98.63 percent of the P80 billion allocation for low income families who are non-Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino (4Ps) members. Of the amount, P48.5 billion has been distributed to 8.2 million families.
DSWD likewise distributed P16.3 billion to 3.7 million 4Ps cash card holder beneficiaries, P327.8 million to 84,683 4Ps non-cash card members, and P323.3 million to 40,418 transport sector drivers in Metro Manila.
Asked if there would be another extension of the deadline given the LGUs to complete the distribution of the SAP cash aid, Bautista said a request for extension maybe submitted by concerned LGUs to the DILG, which would decide if an extension is warranted or not.
DILG has already extended by four to seven days the April 30 deadline for the April payout. Año has given a seven-day extension, or until Thursday, to LGUs in Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Bulacan, Cebu City and Davao City. LGUs in other parts of the country were given an extension of four days only.
‘LEFT OUT’ ELIGIBLE SAP BENEFICIARIES
Bautista and Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año, during the same briefing acknowledged that there are still a lot of people who had been “left out” from the first tranche of the SAP payout.
The two officials said they may be accommodated in the second tranche that would be given out in May.
Año said the initial idea was to give the P5,000 to P8,000 payout for two months but Bautista said this is now under review as government has seen the need to include “left out” families in the list of eligible beneficiaries and reconsider the recipients in areas that have been recently downgraded from being under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to general community quarantine (GCQ).
Asked if the five million that presidential spokesman Harry Roque had mentioned as being added to the current 18 million beneficiaries are the same as the “left out” families that the DSWD and DILG are considering, Bautista said there was recommendation submitted by the inter-agency task force to President Duterte but it has not been approved yet.
Roque, in a briefing on Monday, said poor families who were left out in the first tranche of SAP may be included when the May payout is distributed.
“Those who have not received (the cash aid) and who are harboring ill feelings, there is still hope because the President understands that many have lost their jobs when we had the ECQ. A little more patience, we beg your indulgence, we did not want this to happen,” he said.
Roque said the additional payout for the five million new beneficiaries is within the budget provided by the Congress for the SAP.
Año directed LGUs to submit the list of poor households who were left out in the distribution of the April tranche as he assured families that will get the assistance this May, along with the second tranche of the aid.
“We are still on the first tranche now. We are still going to complete the distribution. We’ve given an extension and the LGUs should submit immediately the names of those who were left out but are qualified,” said Año.
“Sa second tranche ay isasama sila at babayaran din pati ‘yung first month. (We are going to include them in the second tranche and we’ll also pay them the first month),” he said.
RETURNED FUNDS
Año commended residents from the Soccsksargen region and from Navotas City for returning or waiving nearly P15 million in SAP assistance so other poor families can avail of the government aid.
“Nakakabilib ang mga taga-Region 12 at Navotas. Nagawa nilang ibalik ang ayuda na dapat sana ay para sa kanila para mapakinabangan ng iba pang mas nangangailangan. ‘Yan ang tunay na Bayanihan sa panahon ng COVID (The residents of Region XII and Navotas City are commendable. They returned the assistance that were due to them so others who need the aid more can benefit from it. That is the true Bayanihan spirit during this time of COVID),” he said.
Information from the DILG showed a total of P10.3 million and P4.6 in SAP assistance were returned or waived by Soccsksargen and Navotas residents, respectively.
Año said it is inspiring that those who waived the SAP benefits are also poor families.
“Kahanga-hanga talaga ito. Mga mahihirap na tumulong sa kapwa mahihirap. Mas makahulugan ang pagtulong dahil kahit salat rin sila sa buhay ay inisip pa nila ang iba na nasa mas abang kalagayan. (This is really commendable. Poor helping the poor. It’s meaningful because while they are poor, they are still able to think of the welfare of others who are poorer,” he added. — With Victor Reyes
