OVER P60 billion worth of Social Amelioration Program (SAP) aid disbursed to local government units (LGU) have yet to be given to intended beneficiaries.
In an online press briefing on Monday, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it has already released P80 billion to 1,514 out of 1,632 LGUs nationwide for the implementation of SAP.
However, only P20.3 billion of the budget has so far been distributed to 3.5 million low-income families who are not enrolled under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista said among the usual causes of delay for the distribution, as cited by LGUs, are their reduced personnel and the challenge of reaching beneficiaries in far-flung areas.
He said some of the delays could also be attributed to the varying distribution schemes implemented by the LGUs as well as in their validation process of the beneficiaries.
“There are some who would call the beneficiaries to a large area [for the distribution]. There are those which do it house to house,” Bautista said.
He said DSWD is trying to fast-track the process by consistently coordinating with the LGUs.
Distribution concerns
Under SAP, the DSWD will provide cash aid of from P5,000 to P8,000 to at least 18 million poor families, depending on the prevailing minimum wage rate in their area, for two months.
The distribution of the first tranche of the SAP was supposed to be already completed this month after DSWD disbursed half of the P205 billion for the program. The remaining P100 billion will be used by May.
“The distribution of the social amelioration cash subsidy for May will depend on the pace of local government units in liquidating the first tranche,” Bautista said.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, however, said the number of the SAP beneficiaries may be reduced as the government starts relaxing quarantine measures in some areas to allow the resumption of business operations.
“If I am not mistaken…. I was told by [Interior] Secretary [Eduardo] Año that the second tranche will be given to areas which will remain under ECQ (enhanced community quarantine),” Roque said.
He, however, assured that all of the listed beneficiaries already submitted to DSWD for the first tranche of the SAP will still get the cash aid even if the quarantine measures in their area are downgraded to a general community quarantine (GCA) on May 1, 2020, from ECQ.