DSWD-7 pays out P2.5 billion SAP to 411,028 families

CEBU, Philippines —  The Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 has disbursed around P2.5 billion of cash subsidy to 411,028 low-income families in Cebu under the second tranche of its Social Amelioration Program as of October 7, 2020.

Some 336,416 of the SAP beneficiaries were paid through partner financial service providers (FSPs).

The remaining 74,612 SAP beneficiaries were paid through DSWD Special Disbursement Officers (SDOs).

FSPs like Starpay, RCBC, PayMaya, GCash and Unionbank are Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)-regulated financial institutions that have the capacity for digital payments.

The DSWD have partnered with FSPs to fast track the payment to areas which are not categorized as geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA).

These beneficiaries live in GIDA and conflict-affected areas and beneficiaries in Cebu City who do not have smartphones or those who do not have mobile numbers.

DSWD-7 regional director Rebecca Geamala said that such cash subsidy are meant to buy basic necessities such as food, medicines, vitamins and hygiene essentials for their families.

Geamala said that for those who have not yet received their emergency cash subsidy, beneficiaries have to wait for further information since their partner FSPs found discrepancies with some of the beneficiaries’ restricted transactional accounts like their complete names and mobile number.

She said that once the information are corrected and finalized, their partner FSPs will inform the SAP beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, low-income families who are eligible but were not included during the first tranche payout were also able to receive their emergency cash subsidy.

DSWD-7 said that based on Executive Order No. 112, series of 2020 dated April 30, 2020, DSWD targets low-income families who are under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and the “waitlisted” families as approved by President Rodrigo Duterte for inclusion in the SAP.

A total of 89,669 waitlisted families in Cebu received a lump sum of P12,000 during the second tranche payout while the 20,209 waitlisted families in Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor that are non-ECQ areas received P6,000.

Geamala added that their agency will also continue the payout for those waitlisted families who have not yet received their SAP through their SDOs.

She said that beneficiaries will be informed through their respective local government units and announcements will be posted in their official social media accounts.

The agency emphasized that only poor and low-income families at risk of not earning income during the ECQ period are qualified to receive the SAP.

“There should also no duplication of receiving the emergency cash subsidy for beneficiaries under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Unconditional Cash Transfer and beneficiaries from other national government agencies like DOLE, DA or SSS,” Geamala further said. — GMR (FREEMAN)