Eighteen Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 7 (Central Visayas) personnel tested positive for COVID-19 but the second tranche distribution of emergency cash subsidies under the national government's Social Amelioration Program (SAP) in the area continues and remains unhampered, the DSWD said Saturday.
"Nais po nating linawin na isinasagawa po ang disinfection sa opisina ng ating Field Office 7. Hindi naman po maaantala ang pamamahagi natin ng ayuda sa ating mga kababayan na lubos na naapektuhan ng krisis dito sa rehiyon (We want to clarify that the disinfection of our Field Office 7 is ongoing. This will not affect the distribution of the cash aid to our countrymen most affected by the crisis in this region)," DSWD spokesperson Director Irene Dumlao said during the "Laging Handa" news briefing.
The DSWD Field Office 7 has been closed for disinfection until Sunday.
Dumlao said since there is digital payment of SAP aid, the beneficiaries will receive the cash aid through their restricted transactional or nominated accounts within 24 hours after the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) downloads the SAP funds to the six financial service providers (FSPs).
"Cash aid will be directly deposited or credited to their nominated accounts kung kaya maari nilang tanggapin habang isinasagawa ang disinfection sa ating Field Office VII (that is why they will likely receive their cash aid while the disinfection is being conducted)," she said.
She said aside from digital payment, they are also conducting big venue payout to ensure that the much needed assistance will be given to the most affected households.
Dumlao said they are keenly monitoring the health condition of its SAP frontliners who contracted the deadly coronavirus disease, even as she assured that the necessary assistance will be given to them.
"Masusing binabantayan ng DSWD ang kondisyon ng aming personnel na nagpositibo sa COVID-19. Ang ahensya ay nirerefer sila sa mga lokal na health offices na nagbibigay po ng karampatang medical assistance (The DSWD is closely monitoring the condition of our personnel who tested positive for COVID-19. The agency referred them to local health offices which are extending the appropriate medical assistance)," she said.
"Gayundin po ang DSWD ay nagprovide ng food assistance, lalo na psychosocial support o intervention at gayundin po ang financial support kung kinakailangan (The DSWD has likewise provided food assistance, most especially psychosocial support or intervention and also financial support, if needed)," she added.
The DSWD has close to 30,000 personnel nationwide.
Last month, the DSWD announced that 11 personnel tested positive for COVID-19 -- four were from Field Office (FO)-National Capital Region (NCR), four from FO Region 4-A (Calabarzon), and three from the FO Central Visayas.
Dumlao assured the public that there will be no irregularities in the second phase implementation of SAP following the contactless or digital distribution of the emergency subsidies.
"Ang kanila pong ayuda ay didiretso sa kanilang restricted o dominated accounts o maari po nila itong tanggapin dun sa payment centers ng ating money issuers at dahil dyan makakatiyak po tayo na wala pong irregularidad sa pamamahagi ng second tranche ng SAP (Their cash aid will be directly deposited to their restricted or dominated accounts or they can receive it through payment centers of our money issuers and because of that, we can be assured that there will be no irregularities in the distribution of the second tranche of SAP)," she said.