By Charissa Luci-Atienza Over 16.5 million beneficiaries or 91.93 percent of the 18 million low-income households targeted to receive the first tranche of emergency subsidies have been served by the government's Social Amelioration Program (SAP) , the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Wednesday. DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista
(PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN) DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said that as of May 12, P93.5 billion has been distributed to 16.5 million SAP beneficiaries nationwide. "Sa pangkalahatan, umabot na sa P93.5 billion ang naipamahagi sa 16.5 million na benepisyaryo ng Social Amelioration Program. So, meaning to say, umabot na tayo sa 91.93 percent ng target beneficiaries na nakareceive ng emergency subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program," he said during the "Laging Handa" network briefing on Wednesday. (Overall, P93.5 billion has been distributed to 16.5 million beneficiaries of Social Amelioration Program. So, meaning to say, we have reached the 91.93 percent of the total beneficiaries targeted to receive the emergency subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program.) He cited that 1,078 of the 1,634 local government units (LGUs) have completed the SAP distribution. In the National Capital Region (NCR), eight cities already recorded 100-percent SAP payout, he said. He also noted that of the 17 regions, Region V (Bicol) and CARAGA completed the distribution of cash subsidies. Bautista reminded anew the LGUs, especially in areas under enhanced community quarantine, to immediately submit their liquidation reports after completing the payout so as not to further delay the second phase implementation of SAP. He said 151 LGUs already submitted their liquidation reports. Under the DSWD guidelines, the LGUs are required to submit the liquidation and financial reporting documents, including the list of encoded SAP beneficiaries, to the DSWD within 15 days from the completion of the distribution. Bautista said the DSWD is taking seriously the reported abuses and violations committed by local officials in the distribution of SAP. He said they received more than 124 complaints regarding the "violations of the LGU officials in the distribution of cash subsidies. He said they are closely coordinating with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to address such complaints. Bautista said the DSWD, through its Regular Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), has provided financial assistance to 48,239 clients who have COVID-19 related concerns, including 6,478 stranded individuals. He said the DSWD also continues to provide augmentation support to the LGUs, citing it has provided more than 756,000 Family Food Packs (FFPs) nationwide.