THE distribution of the second tranche of government’s cash assistance under the Special Amelioration Program (SAP) will be delayed if local government officials fail to complete the payout of the first half of the subsidy this month, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) warned on Thursday.
Social Welfare Undersecretary Glen Paje said the agency has been coordinating with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the expeditious release of the first half of the P196 billion subsidy to qualified beneficiaries.
Paje said under a memorandum of agreement between the two agencies, LGUs are responsible for the distribution of the April subsidy.
“Ang DILG at DSWD ay may masusi pag-uuganayan upang maipalabas ang direktiba sa lahat ng LGUs para kumpletuhin ang mga payout sa katapusan ng buwan na ito o April 30. Maa-apektuhan ang pamamahagi ng subsidy sa Mayo kung hindi matapos ng ilang LGU ang payout (The DILG and DSWD are coordinating to release a directive to all LGUs to complete all payout by the end of the month or April 30. The distribution of subsidy for May will be affected if LGUs fail to complete the payout,” he said.
The DSWD, he said, will hold the release of the May subsidy until the April distribution is completed.
Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista, during the “Laging Handa” briefing, said P77 billion of the P81 billion or 94.75 percent of the SAP fund has been downloaded to DSWD field offices for distribution to LGUs.
Paje said P75.7 billion has been released to 1,456 local government units.
Of the SAP funds, however, only P27.9 billion or about 31 percent had been disbursed to 5.7 million of the 18 million household target beneficiaries as of April 23.
Of the 27P.9 billion, P11.5 billion went to more than 2.21 non-Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries; P16.3 billion to more than 3 million 4Ps beneficiaries; and P323 million to 40,000 public utility vehicle drivers in Metro Manila.
DSWD had also distributed 493k, 884 family worth P194.289 million and extended assistance P100.7 million emergency assistance 21,832 clients for medical and burial aid. DSWD also distributed P276.3 million social pension for 92,000 indigent senior citizens.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año directed all LGUs to fast track the distribution of government assistance under the SAP as he noted the DSWD’s call.
As stated in the initial timeline, Año said the distribution of the funds should be completed by today (April 24) but admitted the deadline will not be met. He said local officials have requested for extension of the timeline.
“Kami pinu-push namin ngayon lahat ng LGUs to comply kasi nai-download na sa kanila. Dapat mula nung natanggap nila, in four days na-i-payout na nila (We are pushing all LGUs to comply because the funds were already downloaded to them. Four days after the receipt of the funds, they should have paid them out),” said Año.
He said LGUs in Metro Manila admitted during a recent meeting that they are having difficulty in distributing the assistance for various issues but “nangako naman sila na talagang bibilisan nila (they promised to really fast track it.”
He reiterated local executives should observe social distancing when distributing the SAP assistance to the people.
Malaya said once the payout is completed, LGUs should submit a liquidation report of the April distribution, along with the list of the recipients, and return any excess or returned funds within 15 days from the last day of release.
Bautista told local government officials to submit a separate list of other low-income families who were not included in the April SAP payout and but should have been included. The DSWD, he said, will validate if these families should be included and if they qualify, they will receive their subsidy for the month of May.
Bautista and Paje, separately reiterated that local government units would be held responsible if there are families who received the subsidy despite being ineligible for the SAP.
Bautista also clarified that the SAP beneficiaries who had also received aid from other agencies like the Department of Labor and Employment’s temporary jobs for informal workers will no longer be included in the May DSWD emergency subsidy.
Bautista said the May subsidy remains intact because the Department of Budget and Management only released half of the supplemental budget allocated for the SAP.
CONTACTLESS
Makati City Mayor Abby Binay said the city government will use contactless approaches for the release of the second tranche of its financial assistance for public transport drivers.
Binay said the P2,000 cash aid will be released through the Makatizen card and through G Cash.
Makati City has 8,376 tricycle, jeepney and pedicab drivers. Of the number, 1,826 are drivers registered with the Makati Jeepney Operation and Drivers Association (JODA); 5,952 tricycle drivers, and 598 pedicab drivers.
OWWA CALABARZON
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Calabarzon has released over P3 million in cash assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) just over a week since accepting applications.
In a statement, OWWA Regional Welfare Office IV (OWWA RWO 4-A) said it has released P3,040,000 to 304 stranded or displaced OFWs in Calabarzon under the DOLE-AKAP for OFWs program.
“Accomplishment Report as of April 22: 131 land-based OFWs assisted; 173 sea-based OFWs assisted,” said OWWA RWO 4-A.
The DOLE-AKAP for OFWs program is a one-time cash assistance amounting to P10,000 aimed to assist displaced land-based and sea-based OFWs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Qualified for the assistance are OFWs, who were either stranded in the Philippines or have experienced job displacement overseas. — With Victor Reyes, Noel Talacay and Gerard Naval
