DSWD gives P2.44B to low-income households
Published Apr 18, 2020 12:00 am
By Charissa Luci-Atienza
More than P2.44 billion worth of emergency subsidies have been distributed to over 435,000 low-income households in 14 regions, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Saturday, April 18.
DSWD Undersecretary for Special Concerns Camilo Gudmalin told the Manila Bulletin that as of 8 p.m. of April 16, a total of 435,257 beneficiaries have received a total of P2,441,133,200 from government's Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
Department of Social Welfare and Development (MANILA BULLETIN)
Of the 14 regions, CARAGA recorded the biggest subsidy payout, amounting to more than P570.92 million benefitting 114,184 low-income families, the DSWD official disclosed.
Gudmalin clarified that the local government units (LGUs), not the DSWD, are in charge of the identification and listing of eligible beneficiaries, as stipulated in Memorandum Circular No. 9 series of 2020 and previous MCs.
"What is projected currently in media and (the) present understanding of most people (is) that DSWD is (doing the) identifying and selecting. We are not," he said in an e-mail to the Manila Bulletin.
He noted that the DSWD briefed the LGUs on who are the target beneficiaries based on the joint memorandum circular issued by the Inter Agency Task Force COVID-19.
Based on the DSWD data, as of April 16, the total number of target beneficiaries stood at 13,359,199 in 17 regions, including the 180, 979 households in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
"The LGUs will pay the beneficiaries, not the DSWD. That's why we transferred the fund to the LGUs. We only monitor," Gudmalin pointed out.
He explained that such arrangements are stipulated in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between LGUs and DSWD.
"We believe that the LGUs know their respective constituents and can properly screen the eligible beneficiaries," the DSWD official said.
Gudmalin noted that as of April 16, the DSWD downloaded more than P71.785 billion to 1,325 LGUs or 88.53 percent of the P80 billion downloaded by the DSWD Central Office to its regional offices on April 3 for distribution to non-CCT SAP beneficiaries numbering 13.556 million households.
He noted that under MC 9, "in response to the criticisms of slow or delayed payouts, the prior validation role of DSWD's is now post audit only."
"In the same MC, the LGU is expected to start the payouts five days from receipt of the fund,” he added.
Based on the DSWD data, the breakdown of the total number of beneficiaries who received cash aid and the total amount distributed per region is as follows:
National Capital Region (NCR), 7,403, P59.22 million; Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR),13,913, P73 million; Region I (Ilocos), 33,539, P184.464 million; Region II (Cagayan Valley), 25,659, P141.12 million; Region III (Central Luzon), 43,758, P284.42 million; Region IV-A (Calabarzon), 65,619, P426.52 million; Region IV-B (Mimaropa), 31,052, P155.26 million; Region V (Bicol), 46,758, P233.79 million; Region VI (Western Visayas), 1,044, P6.26 million; VII (Central Visayas), 22,672, P136 million; Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), 438, P2.19 million; Region XI, 21,816, P130.8 million; Region XII, 7,402, P37 million; CARAGA, 114,184, P570.92 million.
Of the 1,325 LGUs that received their respective SAP funds, 125 are in Region I with P4.33 billion; 77 in Region II with P2.82 billion; 77 in CAR with P1.307 billion; 118 in Region III with P8.89 billion; 17 in National Capital Region (NCR) with P12.468; 138 in Region IV-A with P11.64 billion; 71 in Region IV-B (Mimaropa) with P2.027 billion; 114 in Region V with P3.861 billion; 130 in Region VI (Western Visayas) with P6.78 billion; 122 in Region VII with P4.90 billion; 17 in Region VIII with P320.76 million; 67 in Region IX with P1.95 billion; 92 in Region X with P3.61 billion; 44 in Region XI with P2.55 billion; 43 in Region XIl with P2.77 billion; and 73 in CARAGA with P1.508 billion
Gudmalin earlier said they are targeting to complete the distribution of the first tranche of subsidies by end of April.
Under Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, 18 million low-income households are entitled to receive emergency cash subsidies ranging from 5,000 to 8,000 pesos based on respective regional wage rates for months of April and May.
Department of Social Welfare and Development (MANILA BULLETIN)
Of the 14 regions, CARAGA recorded the biggest subsidy payout, amounting to more than P570.92 million benefitting 114,184 low-income families, the DSWD official disclosed.
Gudmalin clarified that the local government units (LGUs), not the DSWD, are in charge of the identification and listing of eligible beneficiaries, as stipulated in Memorandum Circular No. 9 series of 2020 and previous MCs.
"What is projected currently in media and (the) present understanding of most people (is) that DSWD is (doing the) identifying and selecting. We are not," he said in an e-mail to the Manila Bulletin.
He noted that the DSWD briefed the LGUs on who are the target beneficiaries based on the joint memorandum circular issued by the Inter Agency Task Force COVID-19.
Based on the DSWD data, as of April 16, the total number of target beneficiaries stood at 13,359,199 in 17 regions, including the 180, 979 households in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
"The LGUs will pay the beneficiaries, not the DSWD. That's why we transferred the fund to the LGUs. We only monitor," Gudmalin pointed out.
He explained that such arrangements are stipulated in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between LGUs and DSWD.
"We believe that the LGUs know their respective constituents and can properly screen the eligible beneficiaries," the DSWD official said.
Gudmalin noted that as of April 16, the DSWD downloaded more than P71.785 billion to 1,325 LGUs or 88.53 percent of the P80 billion downloaded by the DSWD Central Office to its regional offices on April 3 for distribution to non-CCT SAP beneficiaries numbering 13.556 million households.
He noted that under MC 9, "in response to the criticisms of slow or delayed payouts, the prior validation role of DSWD's is now post audit only."
"In the same MC, the LGU is expected to start the payouts five days from receipt of the fund,” he added.
Based on the DSWD data, the breakdown of the total number of beneficiaries who received cash aid and the total amount distributed per region is as follows:
National Capital Region (NCR), 7,403, P59.22 million; Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR),13,913, P73 million; Region I (Ilocos), 33,539, P184.464 million; Region II (Cagayan Valley), 25,659, P141.12 million; Region III (Central Luzon), 43,758, P284.42 million; Region IV-A (Calabarzon), 65,619, P426.52 million; Region IV-B (Mimaropa), 31,052, P155.26 million; Region V (Bicol), 46,758, P233.79 million; Region VI (Western Visayas), 1,044, P6.26 million; VII (Central Visayas), 22,672, P136 million; Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), 438, P2.19 million; Region XI, 21,816, P130.8 million; Region XII, 7,402, P37 million; CARAGA, 114,184, P570.92 million.
Of the 1,325 LGUs that received their respective SAP funds, 125 are in Region I with P4.33 billion; 77 in Region II with P2.82 billion; 77 in CAR with P1.307 billion; 118 in Region III with P8.89 billion; 17 in National Capital Region (NCR) with P12.468; 138 in Region IV-A with P11.64 billion; 71 in Region IV-B (Mimaropa) with P2.027 billion; 114 in Region V with P3.861 billion; 130 in Region VI (Western Visayas) with P6.78 billion; 122 in Region VII with P4.90 billion; 17 in Region VIII with P320.76 million; 67 in Region IX with P1.95 billion; 92 in Region X with P3.61 billion; 44 in Region XI with P2.55 billion; 43 in Region XIl with P2.77 billion; and 73 in CARAGA with P1.508 billion
Gudmalin earlier said they are targeting to complete the distribution of the first tranche of subsidies by end of April.
Under Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, 18 million low-income households are entitled to receive emergency cash subsidies ranging from 5,000 to 8,000 pesos based on respective regional wage rates for months of April and May.