MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) directed ‘punong barangays’ to post the list of target beneficiaries in visible public places within their communities like the barangay hall to ensure transparency in the identification of recipients for the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) financial assistance under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said it is very important to fully disclose the list of SAP beneficiaries as this will promote honest, transparent, and orderly management of the SAP funds.
“We want the process of identifying the target beneficiaries under the SAP to be transparent. Hence, we have directed all our punong barangays (chief villages) to post the masterlist of beneficiaries in strategic areas in their barangays so that the residents will also be informed if they will receive the said financial assistance from the government,” he said.
“Napakaimportante na ihayag ang listahan para maliwanagan din ang mga mamamayan at maintindihan nila na kailangang unahin ang pinakamahirap na pamilya na walang-wala na talagang mapaghuhugutan sa gitna ng krisis na ito (It is very important to reveal so that people will be clarified and understand that the poorest families are the priorities in this crisis),” he added.
Año said it is also important for the punong barangays to fully disclose the list of beneficiaries so that residents will be able to give them feedback if they think they should be part of the list.
“Ang intensyon din natin dito ay para masiguro na kompleto at tama ang listahan ng mga barangay. Kung mayroon mang kulang o mali sa listahan, maaari itong aksyunan ng city o municipal government o ipagbigay-alam sa DSWD (The intention is to make sure the barangay list is complete and correct. If something is wrong with the list, the city or municipal government can act by informing the DSWD),” he said.
He said the DSWD has earlier given assurance that LGUs may request for additional funding in order to cover those who were not included in the first tranche of SAP financial assistance released earlier this month.
Año issued the statement after receiving reports from field offices on the lack of transparency in the distribution of SAC forms and assistance to target beneficiaries.
“Kung maayos naman ang proseso sa pamimigay ng SAC form at ng kaukulang assistance, wala namang dapat itago. Ipaskil natin ang listahan para walang basehan para magreklamo at magduda ang ating mga kabarangay (If the process in the distribution of SAC form and the assistance is correct, there’s nothing to hide. Post the list so that the people will not doubt, and they will not complain),” he said.
Among the conspicuous public places where LGUs can post the list of target SAP beneficiaries are the barangay hall, city/municipal hall, social center, gymnasium, auditorium, transport terminal, public market, health station or center, hospital, and other similar public places.
In an advisory on the implementation of SAP and other programs, projects, and activities against coronavirus diseases (Covid-19), Año instructed punong barangays to organize project monitoring teams to monitor the SAP implementation in their areas.
Año clarified that the SAP coursed through the DSWD is intended solely for low-income families with at least one member belonging to the informal economy and most vulnerable sectors of the society whose entire family totally lost their source of income during the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine and state of calamity. (DILG-PR)
