By Charissa Luci-Atienza The inter-agency technical working group on social amelioration program has recommended the inclusion of the "left out" or those who were not able to receive the first tranche of emergency subsidy, but are eligible beneficiaries, in the second wave of cash aid. Department of Social Welfare and Development (MANILA BULLETIN) This was disclosed by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rolando Bautista at the "Laging Handa" network briefing on Wednesday, April 29, after Presidential Communications Operations Office's Martin Andanar asked him if the second tranche of emergency subsidy would be given to "left-out" beneficiaries in areas which remain under lockdown. He said the inter-agency TWG panel has "four proposals" to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), one of which is the inclusion of those qualified recipients who were not given the cash subsidy this month, in the second phase of the government's Social Amelioration Program (SAP). "Meron kaming apat na proposals. Kasama yan sa isang proposal pero hahayaan namin ang IATF kung anong magandang option ang i-aadopt, i-aaply sa second phase ng ating social amelioration program (We have four proposals, including that proposal, but we will allow the IATF to decide on which option must be adopted and applied in the second phase of the social amelioration program)," Bautista said. He added that after working for two days to come up with the guidelines on the implementation of the second tranche of SAP subsidy, the inter-agency panel will submit their proposals today, April 29. Sitting at the TWG panel are the Department of Labor and Enployment (DOLE), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Finance (DOF),and Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Bautista said he will also raise the proposal of lowering the amount of the cash subsidy to benefit more poor families as suggested by Laguna Governor Ramil Hernandez. Speaking at the network briefing, Hernandez asked Bautista to study the possibility of slashing the amount of the cash assistance to increase the number of SAP beneficiaries. "If ever may second wave ng SAP, sana po isama sa ating pagaaral instead na katulad ng parehong amount or recipient, sana kung puede magbaba ng amount para mas marami ang makakatanggap kasi wala na pong pang-sagot ang LGUs. Kasi po yung mga hindi nabigyan ay sinagutan ng LGUs ang mga tao na di nakatanggap (If ever there is going to be a second wave, can we include in our study that, instead of same amount or recipient, if possible the amount will be lowered so that many more can receive help because the LGUs cannot augment the cash aid anymore? Those who were not given cash aid in the first wave were provided for by the LGUs.)," Hernandez said. "Kaya po ang suggestion ko, instead na halimbawa P6,500, kung puedeng P5,000 para mas marami na makatanggap (My suggestion is that, for example, instead P6,500, it can be lowered to P5,000 so that many others will benefit)." In Region IV-A (Calabarzon), which remains under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), low-income households are entitled to receive P6,500 emergency subsidy. "Puede po naming isama yan, yung inyong request or inyong mungkahi. Sa pagkakataon na ito, ang IATF ang nag-aapprove kung anuman man ang babaguhin at i-rerecommend na i-dagdag dun (We can include your suggestion. At this moment, it is the IATF that will approve which proposals should be changed and recommended)," Bautista told Hernandez. "Magbibigay po ko ng feedback o kung ano ang resolusyon na gagawin ng IATF (I will give you feedback on the resolution that will be made by the IATF)," the DSWD secretary assured Hernandez.