DSWD-6 explains delay in SAP’s second tranche distribution

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

The second tranche for the government’s social amelioration program (SAP) has already been released, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-6 regional office said in a statement.

DSWD-6 clarified that releasing of the second tranche of SAP for beneficiaries in Iloilo province, to include Iloilo City, and Bacolod City started June 11, 2020.

But the SAP assistance distribution initially covered Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) households in the mentioned areas.

“Sa mga non-4Ps naman, antabayanan lamang ang aming anunsyo dahil sa ngayon ay tinatapos pa ang encoding ng Social Amelioration Cards sa LGU level,” DSWD-6 said in a statement over the weekend.

It stressed the importance of encoding for the purpose of duplicity check to ensure that no family receives double benefits from the program.

“Aming pinapasiguro na tumutulong na ang DSWD-6 na mapabilis and encoding at pagkakaroon ng clean list,” the agency stated, citing they understand that family-beneficiaries need the P6,000 assistance amid the pandemic.

For the first tranche, the agency was able to provide SAP to a total of 1,454,190 families all over the region with total grant at P8,290,670,850, as of June 30.

The recipients included 1,132,361 non 4Ps beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, a total of 321,829 4Ps families received an emergency subsidy of P4,650, a top-up on their monthly cash grants for health (P750) and rice subsidy (P600), hence completing the P6,000 SAP package.

Last week, the DSWD-6, through the Pantawid Pamilya staff, conducted simultaneous payouts for non-cash card 4Ps beneficiaries in Iloilo and Bacolod City for the second tranche of Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

The second tranche only covered areas that were still on Enhanced Community Quarantine from May 1 to 15, 2020, based on recommendations of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution as declared in Executive Order 112.

In Region 6, a total of 2,484 non-cash cardholders availed of the SAP on Saturday.

Iloilo has 2,405 household beneficiaries which will cover 43 towns and Iloilo City while Bacolod City has 79 beneficiaries.

A total of 104,027 4Ps household beneficiaries automatically received their emergency subsidy last June 11.

Among 4Ps beneficiaries, SAP, as provided under RA 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, is given to low-income households. The first tranche was given last April 3 in the region followed by payouts for non-cash cardholders on May 1.

Each household grantee received an emergency subsidy of P4,650, a top-up on their monthly cash grants for health (P750) and rice subsidy (P600), hence completing the P6,000 SAP package.

The amount that each household received is based on the prescribed emergency subsidy per region determined from the region’s minimum wage levels as these are close approximations to the amount needed to buy basic food, medicine, and hygiene essentials.

Almost two weeks ago, the DSWD-6 also started SAP distribution for additional or left out families.

Regional Director Ma. Evelyn B. Macapobe said the payout started in 21 local government units (LGUs).

These include three towns in Aklan, two in Antique, seven in Capiz, four in Guimaras, and five in Negros Occidental.

The regional office aimed to release funds to 19,534 additional SAP beneficiaries, whose names were listed on the first batch of clean list from the Central Office, according to Macapobre.

“All the names on the clean list have passed the Level 3 duplicity check,” she said.

Macapobre added that LGUs were provided with the list of names of the additional SAP beneficiaries for posting.

Likewise, the LGUs are requested to inform their targeted beneficiaries of the schedule of the payout.

“The DSWD will now lead the payout but still in partnership with the LGUs, the Department of Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” will assist during the payout.

For those who are not included on the clean list, they will be subjected to a revalidation, Macapobre said.

“The result of the revalidation will still be subjected to Level 3 deduplication, and if found eligible, will be included in the next payroll, otherwise, he/she is deemed disqualified,” she added.

Macapobre said more additional beneficiaries will receive their SAP aid this week, particularly in areas where digital payment is impossible due to absence of electronic and digital transfer outlets.