Government looking for other sources of SAP funds

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is looking for more funds in a bid to expand the number of beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) to cover “left-out” low-income families excluded from the list of those eligible to get cash aid amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

The P200-billion budget for the SAP was enough to cover the P5,000-P8,000 aid to the more than 18 million eligible low-income families belonging to the most vulnerable sector, according to DSWD Social Marketing Services officer-in-charge Irene Dumlao.

Dumlao explained that DSWD’s current effort to look into its budget to realign funds for relief activities for the millions of families affected by the extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was to allow the agency to give the SAP emergency cash subsidy to the families left out.

“If you could recall, (DSWD) recently issued a memorandum circular, guidelines where we said that eligible families… not included in the 18 million beneficiaries, that appealed to their local social welfare and development offices,” the DSWD official said in English and Filipino in an interview with “The Chiefs” aired on Cignal TV’s One News on Tuesday night.

“That’s the list for which we are looking for more funds since they were not in the list of the 18 million eligible beneficiaries,” she added.

The payout of the P5,000-P8,000 SAP emergency cash subsidy by the concerned local government units (LGUs) continues all over the country.

As of Tuesday night, some 8.3 million families had so far been paid, which involved P43 billion of the first tranche of P80 billion of the SAP budget, according to Dumlao.

The 8.3 million families, she said, included the 3.7 million Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) family-beneficiaries who were immediately given the first tranche for the month of April, since they have Land Bank of the Philippines cash cards, and more than 4.6 million low-income, non-4Ps families.

“The DSWD has already transferred to LGUs. And the LGUs are responsible for distributing the emergency subsidy to their target beneficiaries,” Dumlao said.

She reiterated that the DSWD would not release the funds for the second tranche of the SAP cash subsidy until the LGUs finish the distribution of the first tranche. The LGU has to submit a liquidation report on the distribution of the first tranche.

As of last night, however, Dumlao said, “We have yet to receive a liquidation report from a local government unit that has completed its distribution.”

“We have coordinated with the Department of the Interior and Local Government on this, and they have issued a directive to LGUs to expedite the payout, so that it will be finished by the end of the month,” she added.

Palace appeals for understanding

Malacañang yesterday appealed for understanding from households who have yet to receive government aid, admitting that the assistance for sectors affected by the quarantine should have been delivered earlier.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the DILG has given local governments until today to distribute the first tranche of emergency subsidies to ensure that all affected sectors would receive help.

“The President understands that life is really hard while we are under ECQ... All LGUs must disburse to the intended beneficiaries of the SAP. Otherwise, they will be issued a show cause letter and subject to disciplinary action,” Roque told ABS-CBN News Channel.

“I think that reflects the President’s general predicament. Money is there to be given to those in need; it should have been given yesterday and not today,” he added.

“To those who are still waiting for aid, the President is asking for your understanding. We have issued an order to local officials. They should move and distribute the assistance. We know that you needed them yesterday. We apologize, but we will enforce the law and we will enforce discipline among those who should have acted faster,” Roque said.

A report submitted by Duterte to Congress last Monday showed that a majority of intended beneficiaries have not received aid even if most of the funds have been downloaded to LGUs.

Only 2.5 million out of 13.56 million intended beneficiaries of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis program who are not enrolled in the state cash transfer program have been served as of April 23. The failure to distribute aid to a majority of the intended beneficiaries was observed even if the national government has given funds to 1,490 out of 1,634 LGUs.

The government is also studying ways to help people who want to return to their provinces through the long-term project Balik-Probinsya, according to Roque.

“I can assure the public that all departments of the government are meeting right now because we understand that at a time when life is hard in Metro Manila and in the cities of Cebu and Davao, many are aspiring to return to their provinces... We’re finding ways and means subject to the quarantine requirements,” the Palace spokesman said.

“The long-term program will be threshed out, that’s now become a top priority. So do not worry, it is forthcoming,” he added.

The project was proposed by Sen. Bong Go during a meeting of the government’s task force on COVID-19 last week.

‘Include seniors in SAP’

Sen. Risa Hontiveros urged the DSWD to expand its SAP to include all families with senior citizens to help them cope with financial struggles due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“An overwhelming majority of our senior citizens are poor. The quarantine exposes and magnifies their physical and financial vulnerabilities,” Hontiveros said in filing Senate Resolution 370 after the extension of the ECQ in Metro Manila and other high-risk areas until May 15.

The proposed resolution urges SAP expansion to prioritize older persons who live with their spouses, the unaccompanied and the homeless.

“Our grandparents need necessary support. Our indigent elderly are the most vulnerable in this pandemic,” Hontiveros said, citing Department of Health data that 68 percent of COVID-19 deaths are the elderly.

“The SAP should ensure that they are able to purchase their basic necessities and prescribed medicine, or support families in these conditions. This will also make sure they stay at home as much as possible rather than trying to look for alternative income outside the home, which would expose them to the coronavirus,” she added.

The senator expressed belief that even those who receive pension under the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 should be included in the SAP.

“Pension alone is not enough. A massive number of senior citizens who were left out of the initial DSWD memorandum only receive P5,000 or less a month under the SSS and GSIS pension programs and only as mere supplement to their informal income,” she said.

“The exclusion of pensioned senior citizens ignores the fact that many of them who still work in the informal economy face even graver difficulties because they are deprived of livelihood amid this crisis,” she added.

Hontiveros also sought a SAP expansion that includes senior citizens even if they receive support from their children.

“The inclusion of all senior citizens in the SAP is an appropriate response to the urgent needs of our elderly,” she said. “Let’s make sure no grandparents will be left behind.” – With Alexis Romero, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Delon Porcalla, Mayen Jaymalin, Janvic Mateo