Government aims to finish SAP 2nd tranche distribution this week

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the delay caused by duplicate entries in the list of beneficiaries, the government aims to finish this week the distribution of the second tranche of aid for poor families and sectors affected by the lockdown, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said waitlisted beneficiaries from Baguio City, Kabayan in Benguet, Balaoan in La Union, and Mabalacat in Pampanga have received emergency subsidies. The distribution of assistance to waitlisted households in Bulacan is ongoing, he added.  

Waitlisted beneficiaries are households who are qualified to receive assistance but were excluded in the first tranche of the P205-billion social amelioration program (SAP).

Roque said a total of 1.3 million families who are enrolled in the government's Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino cash transfer program or 4Ps have benefited from the second tranche of aid. The figure, however, was virtually unchanged from the figures reported by Roque last June 18.

Asked what was causing the delay in the verification of beneficiaries, Roque said the social welfare department is vetting the five million households who were added in the list.

"It's because of the five million additional names they are vetting. But you have seen in our report that we have started distributing aid to our waitlisted beneficiaries," the Palace spokesman said.

"We expect the distribution to be completed. Their aim is this week," he added. 

Last Tuesday, Roque said the aid distribution would be faster once the "de-duplication" of entries is completed. 

While the government is optimistic about finishing the second wave of SAP this week, it is not yet done with the first tranche, which has a budget of P105 billion. 

Data from the social welfare department showed that 17,477,360 out of the 17,741,405 target beneficiaries of SAP have received subsidies as of June 23. About 264,000 households have not received aid three months into the implementation of community quarantine.  

Officials previously said the distribution of the second tranche would be faster because most of the funds would be transferred through electronic payment systems.