THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has released over P424 million in cash aid under the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Social Amelioration Program (SAP) for low-income families who are not part of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista reported on Monday.
Bautista, in press briefing, said the fund release covered the period of April 2 to 13 and has benefited 77,244 families.
The DSWD has also released more than P323 million cash aid to 14,418 drivers and other members of the transport sector in the National Capital Region (NCR), P43 billion cash to local government units (LGUs), and P800 million to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The agency has likewise given out P57 million worth of medical and burial assistance that benefited 12,204 persons.
Also, 368,538 family food packs have been distributed to 12 regions since the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) took effect on March 17.
Bautista said the funding for the cash assistance was sourced from the P100 billion budget released to DSWD for the month of April. The P100 billion is part of the P275 billion supplemental budget to fund the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bautista said the fund release and the number of beneficiaries are expected to continue to increase as the DSWD continues to distribute the P5,000 to P8,000 aid per month for two months in coordination with local government units (LGUs).
He acknowledged there had been challenges in the initial implementation of the program but promised that government will ensure the continued delivery of the fund assistance and deter any possible delays.
Bautista reiterated that the 4.2 million 4Ps household are no longer included in the list of SAP beneficiaries as they are already included in the DSWD master list. He said 4Ps beneficiaries had also already received their share of the SAP on top of their monthly 4Ps benefits.
To further explain the distribution of the cash grant, Bautista said a 4Ps beneficiary living in Metro Manila will receive an P8,000 cash aid — which is composed of their monthly 4Ps aid and their share in the SAP — which is the monthly minimum wage rate in Metro Manila. He said this means a 4Ps beneficiary who is receiving P1,350 monthly will get an additional P6,650 from the SAP, for a total of P8,000.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, concurrent spokesman of the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), reassured poor families who have yet to receive the cash aids that the government is doing all it can to resolve issues related to the distribution of the subsidies.
Nograles said among the concerns in the distribution are security, the reconciliation of lists of beneficiaries, and logistical challenges especially in remote communities in the provinces.
“To our fellowmen who are waiting for the subsidies, we apologize and ask for your patience. You can be sure that we are doing everything to ensure that the assistance of government reaches you at the soonest time possible,” he said.
AID TO WORKERS
Nograles reiterated that economic managers are still looking at ways on how government can help the middle class as well as where it will source funds for such assistance.
He urged formal sector workers affected by the Luzon-wide ECQ to avail of the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP).
Nograles said that to date, the DOLE had already distributed CAMP funds to 167,941 affected workers.
He said DOLE had also distributed P507.8 million worth of funds under its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers that benefited 124,608 individuals.
SELLING ASSETS
Nograles said the government will consider selling its assets as a last recourse if it runs out of financial resources for the government’s coronavirus response program.
“On the selling of government assets …that would be the last, if there’s no other way. But we will find a way,” he said.
Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said government should consider selling some of its assets like golf courses and unused lands inside military camps to raise more funds for the government’s COVID-19 response and its subsidy programs.
LGU AID
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P30. 82 billion under the “Bayanihan Grant to Cities and Municipalities (BGCM)” as financial assistance to cities and municipalities affected by the COVID-19 situation.
The one-time aid to local government units is equivalent to the Internal Revenue Allotment share of the cities and municipalities for one month.
It can only be used for COVID-19-related programs, projects, activities and expenses like the procurement of personal protective equipment; equipment, reagents, and kits for COVID-19 testing; medicines and vitamins; hospital equipment and supplies; disinfectants, sprayers, disinfection tents and other disinfecting supplies and misting equipment.
It may also be used for the food, transportation and fuel, accommodation expenses of medical personnel and other LGU personnel directly involved in the implementation of COVID-19-related programs, projects, and activities,; food assistance and other relief goods for affected households; and expenses for the construction/repair/lease/rental of additional space/building to accommodate COVID-19 patients and suspected and probable patients, for the operation of stand-alone/mobile testing laboratory, for the purchase/rental of tents for temporary shelters of the homeless, and for the training of personnel in the conduct of COVID-19 testing and other related training.
The use of the LGU subsidy is subject to existing procurement, budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations.
“The released amount for BGCM shall be used by the recipient cities and municipalities for the duration of the State of Calamity as declared by the President by virtue of Proclamation No. 929 dated March 16, 2020,” the DBM said, adding: “Funds which remain unutilized after the lifting of the State of Calamity shall be reverted to the National Treasury by the recipient cities and municipalities.”
OWWA AID
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said 8,748 stranded overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have received assistance as of April 12.
Of the total, there were 3,106 OFWs that were provided free transportation assistance; another 2,616 OFWs availed of the temporary shelter assistance from OWWA; and a total of 2,462 seafarers were also provided with food packs.
OWWA also said 564 more were provided with all three assistance of food, accommodation, and transportation.
Records show 9,136 seafarers and 3,008 land-based OFWs have returned home.
As for the financial assistance program for OFWs, dubbed as “DOLE-AKAP for OFWs”, OWWA said it started accepting applications on Monday.
In an advisory, OWWA said all applications for the US$200 or P10,000 financial assistance to displaced OFWs must be done online. “As we observe stringent social distancing measures, all submissions of applications for ‘DOLE-AKAP FOR OFWs’ are to be done through online” it said.
For OFWs, who were repatriated or returning, OWWA said they should go to http://dole-akap.owwa.gov.ph and provide all the required Information.
They are then required to upload the documentary requirements, such as a copy of their passport or travel document; copy of flight ticket or boarding pass evidencing return to the Philippines or arrival stamp sticker attached in the passport; proof of overseas employment (i.e. valid verified overseas employment, OEC, residence Is, visa/re-entry visa, among others or permit to stay in the receiving country); and proof of loss of employment on account of COVID-19 or proof that the host country/ies are included in the list of those heavily affected by the COVID-19 (i.e. notice of termination of employment or closure of the company issued by the Foreign Recruitment Agency or principal employer; incident report on the termination of employment submitted by the employer to the POLO concerned, Philippine Embassy/Consulate/POLO/OWWA certification/referral of displacement due to COVID-10, among others.).
After completion of the online process, OWWA said the concerned OWWA regional office, through its OWWA officers, will conduct validation/evaluation of received applications with complete documentary requirements, and approve/deny application, whichever is applicable
“During validation or verification of documents submitted, our OWWA Officers may call you through the provided contact details or FB (Facebook) account. Please cooperate and be ready to show the actual documents, if so required,” said OWWA.
Once approved, OWWA said the application will be submitted to the concerned DOLE regional office for funding through money transfer or PESO Net, within five working days upon approval.
As for qualified OFWs that are still On-Site, they are advised to get touch with the nearest Philippine Labor Office (POLO) to avail the “DOLE-AKAP for OFW” Program. — With Angela Celis and Gerard Naval
