By Mike Crismundo
BUTUAN CITY – The regional office of the Department of SocialWelfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday reported that at least 412,735 have already received the government’s Social Amelioration Program or SAP spread in various areas in Northeastern April Mindanao or Caraga region.
Caraga region is comprised of the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Islands and the cities of Surigao, Tandag, Bislig, Bayugan, Cabadbaran and the region’s premier and capital city of Butuan.
All 73 local government units (LGUs) have already conducted their respective payouts.
Thousands of other families are also set to receive the financial assistance from the government through the SAP distributed by the DSWD Field Regional Office Caraga.
Since the conduct of program payouts, a total of 233,676 non-Pantawid beneficiaries, and 179,059 Pantawid ng Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries were already granted with the P5,000-financial aid.
DSWD Caraga has been looking closely into the implementation of the program in the various LGUs across the region, ensuring that the guidelines are being observed upon implementation.
“We are closely looking into the implementation of this financial aid to Caraganons,” stressed DSWD 13 Regional Director Mita Chuchi Gupana-Lim, in an exclusive interview with The Manila Bulletin on Wednesday.
In addition to providing technical assistance, teams have been deployed to 16 LGUs to monitor before, during, and after the conduct of payout, randomly visiting households that have received assistance and verify their qualification.
Regional Information Officer Marko Davey Reyes reiterated that LGUs will be made responsible for disallowances. Cash aid given to unqualified individuals are to be returned and turned over to those who are qualified.
“The whole department is dedicated to uphold the objective of the program, which is to provide assistance to the marginalized Filipinos during this crisis,” he said.
“We will do our best to make sure to fulfill such task,” the region’s DSWD 13 information officer added.