The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Thursday (August 20) that it has covered more than 13.1 million beneficiaries or almost 93 percent of the 14.1 million families targeted to receive the second tranche of emergency cash subsidies under the national government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
The DSWD said as of August 20, it has distributed over P78.4 billion to around 13, 147, 805 beneficiaries in the 11 areas covered by the second phase implementation of SAP.
Included in the agency's latest list of SAP 2 beneficiaries are 1.4 million beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps); 5.7 million low-income, and non-4Ps recipients; 3.11 million “waitlisted”, low-income, and non-4Ps households nationwide; 1.7 million “waitlisted” beneficiaries from the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) areas; and around 128,074 Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) and public utility vehicles (PUVs) drivers.
"DSWD is exhausting all means and has been coordinating closely with LGUs and its partner-Financial Service Providers (FSPs) to finish the distribution of the SAP the soonest possible time,” the DSWD said in a statement.
The virtual presser of the DSWD on Thursday was postponed, as the DSWD Central Office implemented work-from-home arrangement amid the increasing cases of COVID-19 among its personnel.
The DSWD clarified that it has 161 confirmed COVID-19 cases and not 167 as disclosed by DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista in a press briefing on Tuesday, August 18.
"To date, DSWD has recorded 161 confirmed cases among its employees in the Central and Field Offices with 57 recoveries and one death,” it said in a separate statement.
It noted that from March 17 to August 13, more than 1,500 personnel underwent self-quarantine after being exposed to individuals who tested positive for the disease.
The DSWD said it has intensified its health and safety measures and protocols to prevent and mitigate the spread of the virus in its workplaces.
"DSWD has increased the frequency of disinfection and sanitation of its offices and buildings and is enforcing strict adherence to social distancing and wearing of masks and face shields among its employees,” it said.
Bautista had announced that the DSWD created an action team that would closely monitor the increasing cases of COVID-19 among its frontliners, and to ensure that the necessary assistance will be given to their infected personnel.
He said among the assistance extended to the infected personnel are health monitoring and referrals to the Department of Health (DOH) facility, if needed; provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) and vitamin supplements; hazard pay; financial and medical assistance; and mental health and psychosocial services.