If Congress decides to pass a new law providing additional emergency cash subsidy to poor families from areas affected by the surging cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will not think twice to implement it.
DSWD Spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the agency is ready to implement any social amelioration measures, which will be passed by the legislative branch of the government.
“Kung sakali po na may maipasa ang lehislatura, our legislative body na panibagong batas na nagsasabing mamigay uli tayo ng karagdagang emergency subsidy, well, on the part of DSWD being an implementing agency, titiyakin po natin na mag-implement tayo in the most effective and efficient manner (Just in case the legislature, our legislative body, passes a new law mandating us to provide additional emergency subsidy, well, on the part of the DSWD, being an implementing agency, we will ensure we will implement it in the most effective and efficient manner),” she told the DZBB in an interview Saturday, March 13.
She expressed anew the DSWD’s readiness to provide technical assistance and augment the resources of the local government units (LGUs), especially those whose areas were placed under lockdown due to the increasing cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Dumlao noted that Bayanihan 2 payouts “are ongoing" to extend cash subsidies to families who did not receive Social Amelioration Program (SAP) cash aid as provided for by Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, and to families from granular lockdown.
Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act , popularly known as Bayanihan 2, provides the implementation of the Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) to benefit the following recipients: the affected low-income families living in areas under gradual lockdown; those qualified families, but were not granted SAP 1 and 2 subsidy under RA No. 11469; and recently returned overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who belong to a low-income family and are physically residing in an area under granular lockdown.
The DSWD was given P6-billion budget to implement the ESP under Bayanihan 2.
As of January this year, the DSWD has disbursed almost P3.2 billion worth of cash subsidies to 505, 669 beneficiaries under Bayanihan 2.