DSWD to issue SAP even after Bayanihan Act expires

During the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) 8th Town Hall meeting on Friday, DSWD-National Household Targeting Office director Justin Batocabe said the agency will disperse the remaining fund for the second tranche of financial aid. (File photo by Ramon FVelasquez/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will continue to distribute the government’s social amelioration program (SAP) for low-income families even after the expiration of Bayanihan to Heal as One Act or the Republic Act 11469.

During the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) 8th Town Hall meeting on Friday, DSWD-National Household Targeting Office director Justin Batocabe said the agency will disperse the remaining fund for the second tranche of financial aid.

“We are giving out the second tranche of SAP kahit na nag-expire na [ang RA 11469]. They [beneficiaries] have vested rights. Basta eligible for the second tranche (We are giving out the second tranche even if RA 11469 already expired. The beneficiaries have vested rights as long as they are eligible),” he said.

Earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act should expire on June 25.

Under the Act, DSWD is mandated to provide emergency cash subsidy amounting to PHP5,000 to PHP8,000, based on the regional minimum wage rate, to 18 million low-income families assessed to be most affected by the community quarantine amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

“We are to finish the second batch of aid to listed beneficiaries living in areas that were declared under the ECQ by May,” Batocabe added.

The aid will be given in two batches for families residing in areas declared as under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

In DSWD’s uSAP Tayo episode on Thursday, Undersecretary Danilo Pamonag said the first tranche of the SAP aid was completed.

“Tapos na ang implementasyon ng first tranche, nakamit na ang an indicative number of target beneficiaries (The implementation of the first tranche is done, we have reached the indicative number of target beneficiaries),” he said.

The DSWD dispersed more than PHP99.8 billion to 17.7 million beneficiaries for the first tranche of aid.

The second wave of aid started on June 11 with Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P’s) beneficiaries as among the first recipients.

The agency reported PHP6.7 billion total of the amount wired to 1.3 million 4P’s recipients with cash cards.

Pamonag added that they have prioritized the waitlisted beneficiaries or those who were not included in the first tranche of distribution.

They have started allocating SAP aid to waitlisted beneficiaries in Kapangan, Benguet in Baguio City received their aid on June 16 then followed the beneficiaries from Balawan, La Union; Mabalacat, Pampanga; and Dona Remedios, Bulacan.

“Sisikapin namin na magtuloy-tuloy ang pamamahagi ng second tranche (We will work hard to continue the smooth flow of distribution of aid for the second tranche),” Pamonag said.