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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Don't over-charge SAP beneficiaries for cash-outs,' DSWD warns

'Don't over-charge SAP beneficiaries for cash-outs,' DSWD warns

Published Sep 3, 2020 05:26 pm

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has reminded its partner-financial service providers (FSPs) not to impose unauthorized fees or overcharge the beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) for their over-the-counter cash outs. 

DSWD Undersecretary Rene Glen Paje said they called out Cebuana Lhuillier in Parañaque City, one of the SAP payout centers for purportedly imposing a P250 insurance fee as reported by a SAP beneficiary in the agency’s official Facebook account. 

“Tinawag na po ang atensyon ng ating FSP, ang ating FSP partner, sa Starpay hinggil dito at pinaalalahan po natin na ang Cebuana Lhuillier branches  sa Parañaque (na) huwag na dapat kolektahin ang nasabing halaga,” he said in a virtual press briefing.

(We called the attention of the FSP, our FSP partner, Starpay about this matter and we reminded the Cebuana Lhuillier branches in Parañaque not collect  such amount.)

“Hindi po sila dapat kumolekta ng ganung halaga at ang insurance ay standard sa mga Cebuana branch subalit ito hindi ipinatupad para sa mga benepisyaryo ng Social Amelioration Program,” he stressed. 

(They should not collect such amount, while the imposition of insurance is standard for all Cebuana branches, it should not be implemented to the  beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program.)

He said the concerned SAP beneficiaries may call Starpay’s hotline numbers—833-7827, and mobile numbers 0950-986-7827, 0921-777-7722,and 0939-600-0020.

The public may send an email to [email protected] or visit their official Facebook account @starpay.ph.

Starpay is one of the six FSPs tapped by the DSWD for the digital distribution of cash aid under second phase implementation of SAP.

During the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability’s continued probe on the alleged irregularities in the implementation of SAP last August 26, Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. asked the agency to look into its partner-FSPs who are purportedly overcharging the SAP beneficiaries for their over-the-counter cash outs. 

When asked for clarification, DSWD Undersecretary for Operations Atty. Aimee Torrefranca-Neri explained that the charges are imposed when the beneficiaries decide to cash out through the partner-remittance centers.

She said in the multilateral agreement forged by the DSWD with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and the six FSPs, "the remittance center should not charge more than P50  for every cash out by way of a convenience fee, or a cash out fee, if the beneficiaries decide to cash it out from the remittance centers."

On June 30, 2020, the DSWD signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Land Bank and six FSPs identified by the Bangko Sentral Pilipinas (BSP) for the digital electronic disbursement of cash aid.

The six FSPs are GCash,  RCBC, Robinsons Bank, PayMaya, Starpay, and UnionBank.

Under the MOA, a minimal amount of cash out fee of not more than P50 is deducted from the subsidies of SAP beneficiaries who opt to withdraw from the partner-outlets of the FSPs.

Villafuerte said the DSWD should immediately take action against “abusive” FSPs who overcharged the SAP beneficiaries. 

“While your desire is to partner with partner financial service providers, may nag-o-overcharge (there are some that overcharged).  Dapat either huwag nyo na silang i-accredit (you should not accredit them), dahil nangaabuso (because they are abusing),” he said. 

He said the DSWD should expect that the 90 percent of those who were given the SAP aid will make over-the-counter cash outs. 

“I-assume natin na pag nagbigay tayo ng ayuda (Let us assume that when we give out cash aid), ica-cash out nila yan kasi (they will cash it out) yung iba hindi talaga sanay sa (others are not used to) online transactions, karamihan dyan bibili ng bigas (most of them they will buy rice) at karamihan ng retailer ng bigas ay hindi naman online (and most of the retailer of rice are not online)

“Gusto kong i-point out na maraming nag-o-overcharge na service providers (I would like to point out that many service providers are overcharging). We will provide the DSWD , (but)  huwag na po kayo maghintay sa amin na provide-dan namin kayo (you should not wait for us to provide you with this),  i-check nyo na po (you check it) on the ground,” Villafuerte said. 

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