By Charissa Luci-Atienza
A total of 3.7 million beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) who are holders of cash cards have received their emergency subsidies from the government.
Department of Social Welfare and Development (MANILA BULLETIN)
DSWD Spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the 4Ps beneficiaries in Region VIII (Eastern Visayas),X (Northern Mindanao) , XI (Davao) XII (Soccksargen), Caraga, and all other regions also got the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) Bayanihan Fund as provided for by Republic Act (RA) No. 11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal As One Act".
"The payout will be until Sunday, " she told the Manila Bulletin in a Viber message.
The last batch of 4Ps beneficiaries who received the government's emergency subsidy totalled 1,230, 513, based on
4Ps beneficiaries' schedule of release of emergency subsidy provided by Dumlao.
From April 3 to April 4, the number of 4Ps beneficiaries who received subsidies from the government totalled to 2,491, 313.
A total of 1,196,634 4Ps beneficiaries from Regions I, II, III, CALABARZON, National Capital Region (NCR),
Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) got their subsidy allocation on April 3, Friday.
While, on April 4, a total of 1,294, 679 4Ps beneficiaries in Regions IV-B (MIMAROPA), V (Bicol), VI (Western Visayas) , VII (Central Visayas), and IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) received their subsidies.
The Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) started releasing on Friday, April 3 the emergency subsidy under the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP) to the 4Ps beneficiaries in support of RA 11469, otherwise known as the “Bayanihan to Heal As One" Act.
The Land Bank said from April 3 to April 5, a total of P16.3 billion has been allocated for the emergency subsidies of 3.7 million 4Ps beneficiaries nationwide.
The DSWD earlier said 4Ps household beneficiaries will P3,650 to P6,650 per month for two months, depending on the prescribed emergency subsidy per region determined from the particular region’s minimum wage levels.
The emergency cash subsidy will serve as a top-up amount added to their regular cash grants and rice allowance, it added.
During the "Laging Handa" briefing aired on state-run PTV4 on Thursday,April 2, DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista disclosed that the emergency subsidy can be readily deposited to the cash cards of 4Ps beneficiaries.
More than 3.6 million 4Ps beneficiaries are holders of EMV cash cards.
As of January 31, 2020, there are more than 4.2 million "active" 4Ps beneficiaries.
The DSWD has advised 4Ps beneficiaries who have yet to receive their cash cards, to coordinate with the City/ Municipal links for the distribution of their grants.
"The Department has already coordinated with local government units (LGUs) and City/Municipal Links to ensure that proper arrangements will be made and that social distancing and other health safety protocols will be strictly observed during the withdrawal of emergency cash assistance," it said.
RA11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal as One” Act mandates the government to provide emergency cash assistance ranging from P5,000 to P8,000 to all 18 million low-income households, including 4Ps household beneficiaries to cushion the impact of the public health emergency due to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
The DSWD "reminded all its beneficiaries to be vigilant and to only believe and rely on information released by the official social media accounts and website of the Department." (Charissa M. Luci-Atienza) #