POOR families living in provinces and cities that were under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from May 1 to 15 are still covered by the second tranche of the emergency cash subsidy of the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP), Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista said on Wednesday.
Bautista made the statement during the Laging Handa network briefing after Iloilo governor Arthur Defensor raised concerns of local government officials in his province, along with the low income families that received the first tranche of the SAP, about their exclusion from the May payout after the province was downgraded to general community quarantine (GCQ) starting May 16 to 31.
Bautista said Iloilo is still covered by the second tranche of the SAP since the province and the city were among the areas under ECQ based on Executive Order 112.
“Iyung pagbibigay ng second tranche ng SAP ay nakasaad sa EO number 112 at binanggit doon, unang-una ang mga regions, probinsiya at saka mga siyudad na magkakaroon pa rin ng SAP at kasama po ang Iloilo sa mga probinsiya na tuloy-tutloy ang pagbibigay ng SAP for the second tranche (The giving of the second tranche of SAP will be based on EO number 112, which mentioned the regions, provinces and cities that will receive the SAP, and Iloilo is among these. So, Iloilo will continue to receive the SAP for the second tranche),” Bautista said.
Under EO 112, which was signed by President Duterte on April 30, the areas under ECQ from May 1 to 15 included the National Capital Region, Central Luzon except Aurora, Calabarzon, the provinces of Benguet, Pangasinan, Iloilo, and Cebu and the cities of Bacolod and Davao.
Bautista said there was a bit of confusion about the coverage of the second tranche of the SAP with the addition of the modified ECQ category. MECQ, which is effective from May 16 to 31, covers Metro Manila, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Zambales, Laguna and Angeles City; while under ECQ during the same period are Cebu City and Mandaue City.
Malacañang said areas under MECQ and ECQ will be included in the second tranche of the SAP.
Bautista said the five million wait listed or left out families during the first tranche of the April will also be included in the second tranche.
He said for the second payout, those belonging to the wait listed or left out families who are living in the areas covered by the ECQ or MECQ will also be eligible.
He said there is still no date yet as to when the May payout would be given as the DSWD is still waiting for the completion of the liquidation reports of local government units (LGUs).
Bautista said as of May 26, P99.05 billion of the April SAP budget had already been given to 17.52 million beneficiaries.
He said 1,482 of the 1,634 LGUS nationwide had also already completed the payout. Of this figure, 702 LGUs have already submitted their liquidation reports, along with the list and photos of beneficiaries that received the SAP, report of checks issued and report of disbursements certified by the LGU accountant, and a copy of the official receipt for the refund/return of unutilized SAP funds.
Bautista appealed to LGUs to expedite the distribution and submission of the encoded and complete liquidation reports as “the liquidation report is vital in the process of validation.”
The DSWD chief said the agency had already started the validation of some of the reports submitted, particularly the list of beneficiaries that received the cash assistance. The validation process includes checking if any of households received more than one payout from SAP or had also received subsidies from the Rice Farmers Financing Assistance (RFFA) under the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) of the Department of Finance (DOF) through the Social Security System (SSS), the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced/Disadvantaged Workers Barangay Ko, Bahay Ko Disinfections/Sanitation Project (TUPAD/BKBK) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), or the Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) through AICS of the DSWD.
LIQUIDATION REPORTS
Senate president pro tempore Ralph Recto said the SAP cash aid must not be held up by the liquidation reports.
“In ordinary times, this audit rule should be followed strictly. But in the midst of the pandemic, it should be relaxed, not waived, but only insofar as extending the deadline of submission, and not making it a requisite for the release of the next tranche,” Recto said.
He said citizens running out of money are expecting the second tranche of cash aid and to allow red tape to delay or even abort prompt delivery “is unkind and unjust.”
Recto said local governments which have been remiss in the distribution of the SAP or have violated rules must be made accountable and pay for their mistakes at the proper time and not during this time when the citizens badly need the cash subsidy.
Recto said the DSWD can at least release a portion of the SAP while the liquidation has yet to be completed so that beneficiaries can start getting them.
“But as much as possible and as fast as possible, LGUs should comply with the demand of the DSWD, for the sake of their constituents. We should also understand that the DSWD, as the financially accountable agency, has rules to comply with from its end,” he said. — With Raymond Africa
