By Charissa Luci-Atienza
A total of 284 local government units (LGUs) or 17.38 percent of the total 1,632 LGUs in the country already completed the distribution of Social Amelioration Program (SAP) emergency subsidies in their respective areas. This is according to DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao as of May 2.
Department of Social Welfare and Development (MANILA BULLETIN)
"Mayroon na ring 284 out of 1,634 LGUs ang nakapag-accomplish na 100-percent payout (There are 284 out of 1,634 LGUs that already accomplished 100-percent payout)," Dumalo said to the Manila Bulletin.
Among the LGUs that recorded 100-percent SAP payout include San Miguel, Bulacan; Abra de Ilog and Rizal in Occidental Mindoro; Busuanga, Palawan; Baco, Gloria, and Pinamalayan in Oriental Mindoro; Ligao City, Jovellar, and Libon in Albay; Casawayan, Esperanza, Baleno, Uson, and Pio V. Corpuz in Masbate; San Vicente in Camarines Norte; Bagamanoc and Gigmoto in Catanduanes; Casiguran, Barcelona, and Sorsogon City in Sorsogon; and Siruma, Bombon, Ragay, Garchitorena, Ocampo, Tigaon, Presentacion, Goa, San Fernando, Magarao, Pamplona, Pili, Lupi, Sagñay, Iriga City, and Gainza in Camarines Sur.
Dumlao noted that the DSWD has transferred more than P80.5 billion SAP funds to 1,516 LGUs nationwide, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
She said they are counting on the LGUs to complete the distribution of the cash assistance, after they were given four to seven-day extension to fully implement the SAP.
The DSWD disclosed that of the P100 billion allocated for the first wave of cash aid under SAP, P62.8 billion has been distributed to over 11.6 million beneficiaries.
As of 8 p.m. of May 2, over 11.6 million poor families or almost 64.5 percent of 18 million households targeted to receive cash assistance nationwide have so far been served, based on the DSWD's latest SAP monitoring report.
Of the total amount, P45.8 billion has been given to 7,799,398 million low-income and non-Pantawid Pamilya families, the report said.
Also included in list of SAP beneficiaries were 3,806,516 4Ps families who received P16.7 billion worth of emergency subsidies; and 40,418 families of Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) and Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) drivers who got P323 million subsidy allocation.
On May 1, the DSWD started posting the list of beneficiaries on its website.
Under Republic Act No. 11469 or the "Bayanihan to Heal As One Act," 18 million low-income households are entitled to receive emergency subsidy, ranging from P5,000 to P8,000 depending on the minimum wage level in a region for two months from April to May. #