Almost 1M families in W. Visayas get SAP aid

By Jennifer P. Rendon 

The government’s emergency subsidy program (ESP) has benefited almost 1 million families in Western Visayas.

As of 8 p.m. of May 11, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-6 said 983,001 family beneficiaries, or 85.20% of the total non-Pantawid beneficiaries in the region, have received the emergency subsidy grant through the social amelioration program or SAP.

Regional Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre said the agency has released a total of P5,898,006,000.

SAP is a cash ESP for 18 million Filipino families who were affected by the implementation of the emergency community quarantine (ECQ) against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In Western Visayas, SAP aimed to benefit 1,472,683 families, including the 318,899 members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

Each family beneficiaries received P6,000 in cash assistance.

Despite several deadlines, only 65 local government units (LGUs) in the region have completed the distribution of the assistance.

Only the province of Guimaras, which has five towns, completely accomplished the SAP distribution.

Five LGUs in Aklan hit the 100 percent SAP payout; 16 in Antique; 15 in Capiz; 11 in Iloilo; and 13 in Negros Occidental.

Of the 65 LGUs, 13 have submitted their liquidation reports to the DSWD regional office.

“Our LGUs are required to submit their liquidation report to process the second tranche of their SAP assistance,” Macapobre said on Monday.

Despite the extension given by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG),68 LGUs still failed to complete their SAP payouts.

Still, they would be allowed to finish their distribution because “we want our LGUs to finish their SAP payout because the people need the cash aid,” Macapobre said.

But for LGUs that are still doing SAL distribution beyond the deadline, they again have to write a letter of request for extension to DILG Secretary Eduardo Año.

Iloilo has the most number of LGUs that are still conducting payout with 33; two LGUs each in Capiz and Antique; 12 in Aklan; and 19 in Negros Occidental.

The DSWD-6 also reported that it has given SAP assistance to 6,995 Pantawid beneficiaries without cash cards with a total amount of P32,526,750 since April 30.

Each beneficiary received P4,650 SAP assistance in addition to their P600 rice subsidy and P750 for health.

Pantawid beneficiaries with cash cards have already received their SAP assistance on April 3.

The agency was able to provide 53,771 family food packs as augmentation to various LGUs in the region amounting to P20,118,555. (With reports from DSWD-6)