13.95M low-income families receive SAP 2: DSWD

FILE: Local officials and personnel of the Department of Social and Development (DSWD) observe proper distribution of emergency cash subsidies under the government’s Social Amelioration Program to qualified beneficiaries at the Gatid Elementary School in Santa Cruz, Laguna on Monday (May 04, 2020). (PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.)

MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed PHP83.4 billion worth of assistance under the second tranche of the social amelioration program (SAP 2) to some 13,950,078 low-income families as of October 5.

DSWD has initially targeted 14.1 million families to avail of the government’s financial assistance program.

The beneficiaries were identified as the “hardest-hit” sector of the pandemic based on the “Listahanan”, or the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR).

DSWD vowed to complete the distribution of SAP 2 by September 30.

However, financial service providers (FSPs) found discrepancies with some of the beneficiaries’ restricted transactional accounts.

DSWD Undersecretary Glen Paje explained that they were forced to redo the data gathering process so beneficiaries can correct their information.

Meanwhile, DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista, in a statement, cited the 90-percent satisfaction rating the agency received from a survey that sought the respondents’ feedback on the government’s cash assistance program.

The survey was conducted by the agency and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

The “Bayanihan to Heal As One” Act has given the national government powers to provide emergency subsidies to low-income families.

Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, series of 2020, states that the subsidy shall amount to a minimum of PHP5,000 to a maximum of PHP8,000 a month for two months to provide for basic food, medicine, and toiletries.