The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed P107 million worth of cash subsidies to over 14,000 low-income families who have been identified as recipients of the Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) under the Bayanihan 2, including those families whose areas were placed under granular lockdown.
DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said around 14,166 families have benefited from the ESP under Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, which took effect on Sept. 13, 2020.
Of the number, 1, 979 family-beneficiaries are living in areas under granular lockdowns, while the remaining 12, 187 families were those who were not granted Social Amelioration Program (SAP) subsidy under RA. No. 11469 or Bayanihan 1, she disclosed.
"For Bayanihan 2, emergency subsidy, as of Nov. 22, there are 1,979 families in granular lockdown areas who were given emergency subsidy amounting to P11 million,” Dumlao said in a text message.
"In addition, 12,187 additional family-beneficiaries were given emergency subsidy totaling to P96 million.”
Dumlao explained that the target beneficiaries of the subsidy program are the affected low-income families in areas under gradual lockdown and those qualified families, but were not granted SAP 1 and 2 subsidy under RA No. 11469.
She noted that the payout for the additional family-beneficiaries—meaning those who were not granted SAP 1 and 2 subsidy— started in the National Capital Region (NCR), particularly in San Juan City on Nov. 7.
The DSWD official said aside from NCR, other regions were also considered as recipients of the government’s ESP under RA No. 11494.
In a press statement last week, the DSWD noted that for Bayanihan 2, P6 billion was allotted and "there are ongoing implementation in FOs VII (Central Visayas), X (Northern Mindanao), Caraga and NCR, as of November 17, 2020.”
Based on the 15-page Memorandum Circular No. 22, series of 2020, signed by DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista on October 5, 2020, low-income families in areas under “granular lockdowns” starting September 13 are entitled to receive “once” an emergency cash subsidy ranging from P5,000 to P8,000 regardless of the number of times that their area has been declared under granular lockdown, and regardless of any extension in the declared lockdown.
MC No. 22 laid down the guidelines on the implementation of the Bayanihan 2’s ESP and the agency’s COVID-19 response and recovery intervention programs,
Under the special guidelines, Bautista stressed that the Republic Act No. 11494 or Bayanihan 2 is "not to be interpreted as “SAP 3” or successor of SAP 1 and 2" under the already-lapsed RA No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, “or the continuation” of the Bayanihan 1.
Based on the circular, the target beneficiaries of the subsidy program also include recently returned overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who belong to a low-income family and are physically residing in an area under granular lockdown.
Apart from the ESP, the DSWD is expected to implement the following programs: Livelihood Assistance Grant (LAG), Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS); Supplementary Feeding Program for day-care children, Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SocPen), and distribution of food and non-food items.