Even with the shift to a General Community Quarantine (GCQ), local government units are told to complete distribution of the first tranche of the Social Amelioration Program.
Discussed during the Laging Handa News Briefing held earlier today (April 28) hosted by Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang raised his concern to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) if the province could still continue distributing the first tranche of the amelioration fund even if it is no longer under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
“Nakasaad po sa ating umiiral na batas, ang RA 11469 at Joint Memorandum Circular na ang social amelioration po ay ipapatupad sa buwan ng Abril at Mayo. Two months po ang covered niyan. Considering na ang pondo ay nailipat na po natin sa LGUs lalo na itong first tranche, ito po ay ipapatupad at patuloy na ibibigay ang ayuda sa ating mga kababayan na naapektuhan’ (As stated in the RA 11469 and the Joint Memorandum Circular, the amelioration pay must be implemented for April and May, that’s covering two months. Given that the fund has been transferred to the LGU especially the first tranche, it should be given the affected Filipinos.),” said DSWD spokesperson Atty. Ailene Dumlao.
Governor Dayanghirang shared in the Network Briefing that as of April 25, 2020, a total of 17,534 out of 64,344 validated non-4Ps beneficiaries in the province have received P6,000 cash aid for the month of April under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Social Amelioration Program.
He cited some difficulties being experienced by the government in implementing the SAP. Some of these are the difficulty in validating the persons included in the list, the lack of DSWD and barangay personnel to handle these activities from coming up with the list to validating it, up to the distribution of the subsidy.
The number of non-4Ps beneficiaries that received the subsidy is not even halfway of the target number.
Meanwhile, Atty. Dumlao also clarified when asked by Governor Dayanghirang if his constituents in Davao Oriental could still receive the second tranche of SAP even if the province is now on GCQ or has relaxed its community quarantine measures.
“Ang interagency technical working group po ay nag-convene at bumuo ng mga panuntunan hinggil sa mga naunang nabalita, pronouncement ng ating Pangulo at ng Presidential spokesman last week. Titiyakin naman po ng grupong ito ng ang guidelines na mabubuo ay aligned sa intent at purpose ng RA 11469. Ito ay ipapasa sa IATD-EID para ma-deliberate at matugunan nang husto in the soonest possible time. (The interagency technical working group has convened and is preparing guidelines about the recent pronouncement of the President and the Presidential spokesman last week. The group will ensure that guidelines will be in place and aligned with the intent and purpose of RA 11469. It will be submitted to the AITD-EID for deliberation and given appropriate action in the soonest possible time),” said Atty. Dumlao.
The DSWD expressed gratitude for the LGUs and local social welfare development officers who are partners of the DSWD in implementing the SAP.
Under the SAP, the DSWD was able to download more than P80 billion to 1,500 LGUs nationwide. The LGUs have distributed subsidy to about 3.9 million low-income non-4Ps families worth P42 billion.
On top of this is the P16.3 billion distributed to more than 3.7 million 4Ps beneficiaries who are cash card holders. In total, the government has reached out and helped more than 7.6 million SAP beneficiaries nationwide amounting to P39.4 billion. (PIA XI/ Frances Mae Macapagat)