DSWD should identify new beneficiaries to comply with law
Malacañang said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) should give the second tranche of the cash aid to all 18 million beneficiaries as it is mandated to do so by the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after the DSWD said this week that the number of families that would receive the second tranche of the social amelioration program (SAP) has gone down to 14.1 million after taking out duplicate and unqualified beneficiaries.
The agency also said that the number of beneficiaries went down because of the low number of waitlisted families submitted by the local government units (LGUs).
In his Friday presser, Roque said the DSWD has to fill up the slots even if they have to identify new and qualified beneficiaries.
"Ang (The) Bayanihan To Heal As One Act po ay malinaw na kinakailangan magbigay ng ayuda dalawang beses sa 18 million beneficiaries (is clear that 18 million beneficiaries should be given cash aid two times)," he said.
"Dapat po punuan ng DSWD yung natitira pang (The DSWD should fill up the) beneficiaries under the second tranche of SAP," he added.
Roque assured the public that they will announce how the DSWD will proceed with the distribution of the second tranche of the SAP soon.
"Ia-anunsyo po natin kung ano ang magiging desisyon ng DSWD diyan (We will announce the DSWD's decision on that)," he said.
"But they are bound to comply with the law to give the ayuda (cash aid), the second ayuda (cash aid), sa (to the) 18 million beneficiaries," he added.
The DSWD revealed that the agency found 675,933 duplicate beneficiaries, 239,859 unqualified, and 58,725 who voluntarily returned the cash aid. These were all removed from the list of beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, the LGUs only submitted 3.2 million waitlisted names even despite given five million slots for those who were not included in the first tranche.
As of August 4, the DSWD has distributed the second tranche of the cash aid to 9.3 million beneficiaries, including 1.3 million beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).