THE distribution of the second tranche of the government’s emergency cash aid for poor households under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is expected to be completed by August 15.
Electronic distribution of the financial assistance through banks and digital transactions will be completed by July 31, DSWD director and spokeswoman Irene Dumlao yesterday said.
On the other hand, the manual handout in remote, geographically-challenged and disadvantaged areas and places with no available internet or digital payment facilities will done by August 15.
Dumlao said the DSWD has been doing its best in expediting the payout given the fiscal circumstances of the recipients amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic.
DSWD records showed that as of July 15, 26 percent of the second tranche, or about P19 million, had already been distributed to some 3.2 million low income families and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries.
The 3.2 million include 1.3 million 4Ps beneficiaries; 985,404 low income and non-4Ps members; and 894,476 families who were waitlisted during the first tranche.
Dumalo said 46,362 public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers who were “unregistered” and “waitlisted” during the first tranche also received the cash subsidy. The number is in addition to the 98,132 PUV drivers from Metro Manila who were included in the April payout.
The DSWD said 96 percent or 1,563 of the local government units (LGUs) that received the SAP funds for distribution under the first tranche had already submitted their liquidation reports.
An investigation conducted by the DSWD has shown that 81,484 families received duplicate or more than one government subsidy; 52,429 families were not qualified but received subsidies; and 10,862 families returned the SAP aid.
Meanwhile, in a bid to further prevent the displacement of workers, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it is planning on reviving its cash assistance program for formal sector workers but will feature minor changes.
Speaking at a televised press briefing, Labor assistant secretary Dominique Tutay said they have formulated a modified version of the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) in the event that it is revived.
“There will be slight twist in our CAMP because what we want is for it to be a wage subsidy to be given to business establishments,” said Tutay.
“(This time) it will be in the consideration of companies hiring back their employees before they are given the wage assistance,” she said.
Tutay said the aim of the modification is to encourage companies to get back their retrenched or laid off workers as well as prevent more displacements.
“Its objective is to really preserve and protect the employment of our workers,” said Tutay.
Based on the latest data of the DOLE, a total of 4,454 establishments had already retrenched 110,934 workers this year.
Similarly, 501 companies have already permanently closed, as of July 12, with 10,987 workers affected.
Meanwhile, a total of 26,054 establishments with 1,122,815 workers had implemented flexible work arrangements during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
DOLE also reported that 82,692 establishments with 1,979,786 workers resorted to temporary closures during the outbreak.
CAMP was a financial assistance program of the DOLE that offered a one-time P5,000 cash assistance to workers in private establishments that have adopted flexible work arrangements or temporary closure during the COVID-19 pandemic. — With Gerard Naval
