May cash aid completed by June 25, says DSWD

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THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is eyeing the distribution of the second tranche of the emergency cash aid under the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP) to at least 60 percent of its intended beneficiaries by next week and its completion on or before June 25, administration officials said yesterday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that based on his discussions with Secretary Rolando Bautista, the DSWD is hoping to start the distribution of the cash aid through digital or electronic schemes by next week.

“We are hoping that at least 60 percent would be done by next week,” Roque said in an interview.

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DSWD undersecretary Glen Paje said the department is hoping to start the payout and complete it by June 25, or when the validity of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act is set to lapse.

Paje said that based on their legal consultations, the DSWD can proceed with the second tranche even without the extension of the Bayanihan Act.

Bautista, during the Laging Handa network briefing, said members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)would get the second tranche first since they are already registered with the department and have existing cash cards or over the counter bank accounts. The members of 4Ps that are qualified for SAP receive a “top-up” on the monthly subsidy that they receive, or about P3,650.

Paje said the first tranche is almost complete, with 1,101 local government units (LGUs) already completing their liquidation reports. He said only 223 LGUs have yet to submit their reports.

Bautista said 3,723 beneficiaries have returned more than P20.3 million of SAP subsidy that they received either due to duplication of assistance received from other government agencies or ineligibility. On the other hand, some P324.4 million of untouched funds had also been returned by 179 LGUs.

The DSWD chief said the returned funds will be added to the second tranche and given to other eligible beneficiaries who came from the same provinces or regions, if possible.

DSWD assistant secretary Joseline Niwane said the list of the second tranche beneficiaries had been validated to make sure that those who are no longer eligible — like those who returned the first tranche due to duplication- are no longer in the list.

The DSWD has said that the targeted beneficiaries for the second tranche are the 8.5 million low income families that lived in areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in May and received the first tranche of the SAP, and some 3.5 million waitlisted families that also lived in ECQ areas in May.

The other 1.5 million, of the 5 million waitlisted families, would only receive a single payout as their areas were only under ECQ in April.

Ninawe said also included in the second tranche are some public utility vehicle drivers who have yet to receive any subsidy from the government.

Paje said the drivers had been identified through the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board and other transportation cooperatives and groups.

He said some of those who had not received the aid may have been found ineligible because they may be part of the 4Ps or had received other forms of subsidies from other government agencies.

He said DSWD had already distributed cash assistance to some 98,000 drivers. President Duterte, in his 11th report to Congress, said the DSWD had released P785 million to 98,132 drivers of public utility vehicles and transport network vehicle services.

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