By Charissa Luci-Atienza The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) called on local government units (LGUs) on Monday (May 11) to expedite and complete the distribution of Social Amelioration Program (SAP) subsidies, as over two million low-income beneficiaries have yet to receive their cash aid. DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista made the call as he disclosed that only 958 out of 1,634 LGUs in the country have completed their SAP distribution. He said the second tranche of emergency subsidies will only be given after the LGUs submit their liquidation reports. "Kailangan po natin talagang bilisan ang pagkumpleto ng pagbibigay ng ayuda kasi apektado po lahat 'yan nationwide, dahil ito po ang magiging batayan ng second phase ng SAP implementation. So malaki ang tiwala sa local pamahalaan na kukumpletuhin nila ang pagbibigay ng ayuda," he said in the "Laging Handa" network briefing on Monday (May 11). (We need to fast-track the completion of the distribution of the aid because all will be affected nationwide, and because this will serve as the basis for the second phase of SAP implementation. So we fully trust our local governments that they will complete the distribution of the aid.) Under Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, 18 million low-income households are entitled to receive emergency subsidy ranging from P5,000 to P8,000, depending on the minimum wage level in a region, for two months from April to May. Bautista said the ball now is in the hands of the LGUs, of which 131 have submitted their complete liquidation reports. The three-day extension given to the LGUs to distribute the first tranche of SAP aid lapsed on May 10. Bautista said over 15.87 million beneficiaries or 88.16 percent of the 18 million low-income families targeted to receive the emergency subsidy under the government's SAP have received their cash aid from the first tranche. "Sa pangkalahatan, umabot na P89.3 billion ang naipamahagi sa 15.87 million out of the 18 million benepisyaryo ng Social Amelioration Program," he said. (Overall, P89.3 billion has been distributed to 15.87 million out of 18 beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program.) He said more than P89.8 billion worth of emergency subsidies has been distributed to over 15.87 million SAP recipients nationwide. He added that they are waiting for Malacañang to issue an executive order (EO) that will serve as basis for and will provide guidelines for the second tranche of emergency subsidies. Bautista said once the EO is released, the inter-agency technical working group on SAP will draft the guidelines for the second phase implementation of SAP. Aside from DSWD, sitting on the TWG group on SAP are the Department of Labor and Enployment, Department of Agriculture, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Finance,and Department of Budget and Management. LGUs improving distribution process Meanwhile, DSWD Undersecretary Rene Glen Paje took note of the LGUs' efforts to distribute the cash aid to all 18 million SAP beneficiaries even after the May 10 deadline already lapsed. “Tuloy-tuloy po ito at bumibilis na ngayon sapagkat medyo na-practice na nila at na-overcome na nila ang mga obstacles o hadlang ‘nung bigayan,” he said in a television interview. (The distribution continues and it is getting faster because they already learned and have overcome the obstacles in their distribution process.) He noted that even before the May 10 deadline, some cities and municipalities already requested for an extension. “’Yung mga LGUs na hindi pa nakakatapos, ‘yung iba ay two days or three days ay nag-request na for extension. ‘Yun naman ay in-encourage din ng DSWD bagamat sila ay pagpapaliwanagin. Ang layunin at gusto ng DSWD ay matuloy na at maipamahagi lahat ng pera na nai-download sa kanila, sapagkat ito ay kinakailangan na talaga nang ating mamamayan,” the DSWD official said. (Those LGUs who have not yet completed the distribution, some of them requested for a two-day, three-day extension. The DSWD has encouraged this, though they will be asked to explain. The aim and wish of the DSWD is that the distribution will continue and that all funds downloaded to them will be distributed because this is badly needed by our people.) Paje urged the LGUs to complete the SAP distribution and submit their liquidation reports as soon as possible so that the second wave of subsidies will be given to the beneficiaries this month. “Sana na matapos na nila sa lalong madaling panahon dahil habang tumatagal ay lalong na-aantala ang pagbibigay ng second tranche,” he said. (We hope that they can finish this at the earliest time possible because the more it is delayed, the distribution of second tranche will also be delayed.) Paje also said the DSWD is closely coordinating with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to look into reports of local government officials involved in the anomalous distribution of SAP cash aid. “Nakikipagtulungan ang DSWD at iba pang mga ahensya ng pamahalaan upang tingnan ng mabuti at masusing pag-aralan ang pangyayari na ito. Kung meron mang mapatunayan na nagkasala at nagkamali, sila po ay mananagot sa batas.” (The DSWD is coordinating with other government agencies to look closely and carefully study these incidents. If they are found committing irregularities, they will be held liable under the law.)