The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) advised Sunday (August 9) senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) who cannot go out personally to send their representatives to claim their second wave of emergency cash subsidies under the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
The DSWD reminded anew the country’s vulnerable sectors to avoid going out to claim their SAP aid and other assistance from the department.
"DSWD is implementing manual and digital distribution methods through financial service providers (FSPs) and cash cards for the second tranche of SAP. However, since qualified beneficiaries may still need to line up in payout centers to cash out their subsidies, DSWD appealed to seniors and PWDs to send younger and healthier members of their families as their authorized representatives to claim or withdraw their grants,” it said in a statement.
In early May, the agency issued a similar advisory in the wake of reported cases of senior citizens who died, while queuing to receive their cash assistance.
The DSWD said the social pension and P100,000 cash gifts will be continuously delivered at the doorsteps of the indigent senior citizens and the centenarians, respectively, considering the health condition and physical limitations.
“The Department is also conducting house-to-house delivery of cash aid under the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens and the Centenarian Act,” it said.
"The Department continues to put premium on the safety and welfare of the older persons and PWDs especially during this ongoing global health crisis,” it added.
In a press briefing on August 4, DSWD Field Office-NCR Director Vic Tomas assured the public that mobile teams will be deployed for the house-to-house distribution of the social pension to indigent senior citizens, and the financial aid granted to its clients through the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation.