Disbursed SAP subsidies increases to P39.5 billion, benefiting 7.7 million low-income families
By Charissa Luci-Atienza
The total amount of emergency subsidies distributed nationwide has increased to P39.5 billion, benefiting more than 7.7 million low-income families in 17 regions, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) disclosed on Monday.
Based on the latest DSWD data, as of April 26, P39.5 billion worth of subsidies have been distributed nationwide, which is 39.5 percent of the total P100 billion allocated for the first wave of the cash aid.
The total number of poor families served under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) is 42.7 percent of the target 18 million households.
Of the P39.5 billion cash subsidies distributed nationwide, P22.8 billion has been disbursed by the local government units (LGUs), out of P80.3 billion downloaded to LGUs for non-Pantawid Pamilya families, according to the infographics posted on the DSWD's Facebook page.
The P22.8 billion SAP funds disbursed to LGUs benefited 3,928,584 recipients nationwide.
SAP beneficiaries also include 3,729,757 4Ps families who received P16.4 billion worth of emergency subsidies; and 40,418 families of Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) and Public Utility Vehicle (PUV), and Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) drivers who got P323 million subsidy allocation.
The DSWD has assured the public that it has enough funds to implement the second wave of emergency subsidies in areas affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said beneficiaries in ECQ areas will continue to receive cash aid from the government, after the ECQ has been extended until May 15.
Bautista noted that the interagency technical working group on social amelioration program is flexing its muscles to come up with the guidelines on the implementation of the second tranche of SAP subsidy.
He said that aside from DSWD, sitting at the TWG group as members are the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Finance (DOF), and Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
He said the new guidelines will be "aligned and consistent" with the Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act and will be presented to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for approval.