DSWD sees smoother distribution of cash aid

MANILA, Philippines  — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has learned its lessons and sees a smoother distribution of the second tranche of emergency cash subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

Social Welfare Undersecretary Rene Glen Paje, in an interview Wednesday night with “The Chiefs” on OneNews / TV 5, said the solutions to the “challenges” the DSWD encountered during the giving of the first tranche of SAP have been determined and are being applied in the ongoing second tranche distribution.

“For the first tranche, we have to admit that there had been some challenges, a lot of challenges since we are implementing this magnitude of aid to a lot of people, to 18 million people. So, there had been challenges. And we have learned from these challenges,” Paje said as he gave assurance that the problems will no longer happen during distribution of the second tranche.

Among the solutions he cited are the use of digital payment platforms in the distribution of cash aid and the Relief Agad mobile app that allows SAP beneficiaries to register direct with the DSWD databank and lessen procedures for encoding and other validation requirements.

The DSWD estimates 13.5 million families – including 5 million in the waitlist – will be covered in the second tranche of SAP, although Paje said this number might change as concerned local government units (LGUs) submit their list of validated families to add to the list.

Paje said there were 1,545 out of 1,634 LGUs that have achieved 100 percent completion rate in the distribution of the first tranche.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said that 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.

He added that the waitlisted beneficiaries from Baguio City, Kabayan in Benguet, Balaoan in La Union and Mabalacat in Pampanga have already received their emergency subsidies.

The distribution of assistance to waitlisted households in Bulacan is ongoing, he also said.

Waitlisted beneficiaries are households qualified to receive assistance but were excluded in the first tranche of the P205-billion 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 added to 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.”

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

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez cautioned implementers of SAP that they could face criminal charges if they exclude areas with less strict quarantine restrictions from the second tranche. Alexis Romero, Delon Porcalla