Village chiefs to DSWD: Clarify cash aid program

CEBU, Philippines —  The Association of Barangay Captains in Mandaue City has expressed willingness to support the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP) but expressed concern as not all households in the city would be considered as beneficiaries.

In Mandaue City, of the 140,000 households, only about 55,775 households that belong to the low-income families are the beneficiaries of the program.

“Maayo unta nga mapasabot gyud na og maayo sa DSWD nga dili tanan nga na apektuhan sa COVID-19 ang mahatagan og card ug hinabang. DSWD should come up with a press release about the real scenario, otherwise kami panitan sa mga tawo,” said ABC-Mandaue President Ernie Manatad.

Manatad said the DSWD has allocated P669,300,000 for the 55,775 household beneficiaries in the city who can avail of the SAP.

Each beneficiary are entitled to receive P6,000 for the month of April and another P6,000 for the month of May.

“Tataw ug klaro nga dili gyud mahatagan ang tanan nga mga households sa atong dakbayan niining maong programa. Tungod niini ug para malikayan ang mga estorya sa pamolitika ug subay sa mando sa atong presidente, nihangyo ang atong mga kapitan ngadto sa DSWD nga dili ang mga kapitan sa barangay ang mopili sa mamahimong beneficiaries niining maong programa sa gobyerno kun dili ang mga evaluators sa DSWD,” Manatad said, in a separate statement.

Vulmerable sectors

DSWD will be providing social amelioration measures to vulnerable sectors that have been affected by the community quarantine amid the COVID-19 crisis as mandated by Republic Act (RA) 11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.”

The P5,000 to P8,000 worth of cash aid is based on the maximum subsidy per region determined from the region’s minimum wage levels as these are close approximations to the amount needed to buy basic food, medicine, and hygiene essentials.

DSWD said that the local government units (LGU) will prepare the list of the target beneficiaries of the social amelioration measures and endorse this with the complete documentary requirements to the concerned DSWD FO for verification.

A Social Amelioration Card that captures the family profile will then be distributed to the LGUs to enable the beneficiaries to access the assistance. It will also serve as a monitoring tool to avoid duplication of delivery of services.

The social amelioration measures will help mitigate the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 health crisis and the enhanced community quarantine to the target beneficiaries, particularly the senior citizens, persons with disability, pregnant and lactating mothers, solo parents, overseas Filipinos in distress, indigent Indigenous Peoples, homeless citizens, and the informal economy workers.

Fast action needed

Earlier, the Department of the Interior and Local Government urged local government units to act fast in assisting the DSWD distribute the SAP Bayanihan fund to poor families across the country.

“Nakahanda na ang tulong pinansyal para sa mga mahihirap na pamilyang apektado ng krisis kaya paspasan na ninyo na ang pagsubmit ng mga requirements para kahit paano ay maibsan na ang paghihirap ng ating mga kababayan,” said DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año, in a statement.

Año said that as deputized agents of the DSWD, all LGUs must expedite the distribution, collection, and encoding of the SAP forms of qualified beneficiaries for immediate submission to the DSWD field office in their locality.

Under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, a total of P200-billion was allocated as SAP Bayanihan Fund or financial aid to 18 million low-income families all over the country who shall receive a special financial subsidy amounting to P5,000 to a maximum of P8,000 a month depending on the minimum wage of the particular region.

Upon receipt of the masterlist from the LGU, the DSWD shall review it and will release the corresponding cash aid to the recipients with the help of the LGU and barangay.

Año said the cash assistance will be distributed house-to-house by representatives from the DILG, Philippine National Police, DSWD, the LGU and the Barangays.

“Hindi na ninyo kailangan pang umalis sa bahay ninyo at ang gobyerno mismo ang kakatok sa inyong pintuan para ihatid ang pera sa inyong mga tahanan,” he said.

DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said the P200-billion Bayanihan Fund is the biggest assistance package to poor families in the history of the country.

He also reminded LGUs to shun politics and focus on the needs of the public in this time of crisis.  GAN (FREEMAN)