MATI CITY, DAVAO ORIENTAL – Families whose livelihoods were drastically affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine brought about by the coronavirus disease pandemic are now starting to receive cash aids from the Department of Social Welfare and Development through its Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
As of April 22, Wednesday, around 10,643 families in the province have already received P6,000.00 cash aid. This covers 16.05 percent of the total 66,305 non-4Ps beneficiaries in the province who are set to receive the P6,000 aid.
The Municipality of Tarragona, which has a total 1,710 family beneficiaries, is the first municipality in the province that has completed its distribution. Currently, the municipality is working on the pay-out for the social pension of senior citizens.
The rest of the municipalities and the city of the province are now simultaneously distributing Social Amelioration Program funds to their respective beneficiaries. A total of 987 families have already been served in the municipality of Boston; 1,379 families in Baganga; 1,507 in Caraga; 607 in Cateel; 2,302 in Lupon; 447 in Manay; 280 in Mati City; and 1,424 in San Isidro town.
Meanwhile, distribution in the municipalities of Governor Generoso and Banaybanay is yet to start as both towns are still finalizing their list of non-4Ps beneficiaries which is a requirement of the Social Amelioration Program. The distribution is set to commence in the succeeding weeks.
Mr. Reynante Cruz, Social Welfare and Development Officer of the DSWD Field Office said that the funds for the SAP have already been downloaded to the Local Government Units. “We are now closely working with them to fast track the distribution because we are targeting to finish the distribution before the month ends,” he said.
“Our purok officials and barangay leaders in the province are trying their best to cater to all families and enlist them to the SAP or Social Pension. The lists are then validated by the City or Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office with DSWD staff to ensure that qualifications of the beneficiaries are met with cross-matching to other programs like 4Ps,” he said.
The Local Government Units through the barangays and puroks helped identify the beneficiaries based on the qualifications set by DSWD such as low-income families.
DSWD is validating the list of the LGUs in order to ensure that those who deserve are being prioritized. Furthermore, to ensure transparency, the beneficiary’s photo holding the cash and a name tag will be taken as part of the protocol.
Mr. Cruz added that the 44,894 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps and other Modified Cash Transfer beneficiaries in the province have already received their cash aids under SAP through cash cards or over the counter pay-out on site.
Meanwhile, Governor Nelson L. Dayanghirang appealed to the department for additional slots in the Social Amelioration Program to cater to other families who were not included in the initial list.
Municipality of San Isidro Mayor Justina MB Yu said, during the distribution of SAP as well as social pension for senior citizens in her town on Tuesday, that her LGU is now collecting the names of all deserving beneficiaries who were left out. She said they will submit the additional list to DSWD for the possible augmentation of funding.
“Everyone is affected in this pandemic, and as much as possible, we want all low-income families to benefit. The municipal government wants to help them in any way we can. We will also send these names to the DSWD for other possible assistance that they can give,” Mayor Yu said in an interview.
Meanwhile, she said that the LGU is already preparing for the third round of food packs distribution as the Provincial Government who has shouldered the second round of distribution is set to finish distributing food packs by next week.
“Most of our budget was already earmarked to ensure food for the families during this public health emergency. We are now preparing for the third phase which will be shouldered by our LGU. All families in San Isidro’s 16 Barangays will receive 25 kilos of rice by next month,” Mayor Yu said, adding that they will not be giving canned goods or instant noodles because more people are demanding rice provisions rather than canned goods.
In her brief speech during the SAP Distribution Program in her town, Mayor Yu encouraged all her people to pray for the end of this pandemic. She also reminded the beneficiaries to use the resources given to them wisely. She also advised her people to take good care of themselves because the government cannot do it for them all the time. |PIO via Van Jorain Rufin
