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DILG says May 10 deadline for cash aid distribution won’t be extended anymore
FILE: BEATING THE DEADLINE. Personnel from the Parañaque City government distribute cash aid as part of the Social Amelioration Program to around 859 beneficiaries at the Tambo Elementary School on Monday (May 4, 2020).
Local officials in Metro Manila and other areas under the enhanced community quarantine were given a seven-day extension from April 30 to complete the distribution of the first tranche of the cash aid. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)
Local government units (LGUs) in the country will have to finish the distribution of the social amelioration program (SAP) financial assistance to beneficiaries until Sunday, May 10, as the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has no plans of extending the deadline for the third time.
Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said this in an interview with Dobol B sa News TV on Saturday, May 9.
“‘Yan po ang pahayag ni Secretary Eduardo Año dahil masyado na nga pong delay itong SAP distribution so hanggang bukas na lang po ang deadline na ibinigay ng DILG,” he said (That was the statement of Secretary Eduardo Año because the SAP distribution has been long overdue so the deadline that the DILG gave will only be until tomorrow),” he said.
Malaya is hopeful that the LGUs will finish handing out the cash aid to the beneficiaries on the target date, as based on their data as of 9 p.m. last night, the cash aid distribution nationwide is already at 85.49 percent.
He cited that the payout rate for Caraga Region is at 100 percent, followed by the Bicol Region at 99.79 percent, and Cordillera Administrative Region at 93.92 percent.
Meanwhile, Metro Manila has a payout rate of 75.62 percent, with Caloocan City having a distribution rate of 95.15 percent, Parañaque City at 91.28 percent, Mandaluyong City at 88.48%, Marikina City at 86.64 percent, and Pasig City at 85.56 percent.
For those LGUs who will not be able to meet the deadline, Malaya said they will receive a show cause order from the DILG.
“Medyo mahaba-haba na po [‘yung panahong binigay], pangalawang extension na po ito (They have been given a long time, this is already the second extension),” he said.
The initial deadline for the distribution of cash assistance was set last April 30 but was extended until May 7. Año moved the deadline anew for another three days, as they have received reports that some LGUs, particularly those in Metro Manila, were having a hard time to comply with the May 7 deadline despite their 24/7 distribution.
