The Social Amelioration Program (SAP) is the program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). This program was targeted to be provided to the poorest of the poor; to be able to help them with finances amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.
After several weeks, families and households cried out because of not receiving any funds. This triggered some reactions in the Philippine government, looking for the masterlist of the cash aid.
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Good news, though, because as per Harry Roque Jr., the Presidential Spokesperson, 5 million more families are going to receive the cash assistance from the Philippine government.
Orders of President Duterte
In his report, Roque said that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases has authorized the release of the SAP to 5 million more families. To clarify, this adds to the initial 18 million households.
Based on the 2015 census, 18 million households were considered part of the poorest of the poor. So technically, the additional 5 million families would be receiving from the 2nd tranche.
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It will be 18 million plus five million beneficiaries for the first tranche of SAP. Perhaps, this is a way to ask understanding from all those who were unable to get their amelioration due to the delay in the release of the first tranche."
First tranche of the SAP
About a total of 23 million households will be given the SAP, as per Roque. In addition to that, he said that this extension is going to be effective in the second tranche; the first tranche of the SAP was to fulfill the 18 million households; and it's under the P200-billion budget.
Furthermore, Roque said that this might be a plead for understanding because of the delay in the release of the first tranche. And it was never the President's fault; the delay was because of the number of people, residents, and population in the country.
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Siguro po ito’y isang pamamaraan din para humingi ng pasensiya doon sa mga hindi nakatanggap dahil hanggang ngayon po ay nade-delay ang release ng first tranche."
In Translation: This move might be the government's way of apologizing to the people who haven't received the cash aid from the first tranche.
The addition of people, families, and households to be given the cash aid was due to the fact that families who were part of the middle class asked why they were not able to get the same benefits from the government.
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To answer this, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla wrote an open letter to our President. The letter addressed the concern about helping and assisting the middle class workers, too.
SAP Distribution
Straying from the 5 million more families cash aid, a source said that as of April 29th, 2020, about 9.5 million households were given the cash aid. As per them, there were about P80.9 billion transferred and given to Local Government Units (LGUs); this makes up 61.5 percent of the total demographic of the cash aid.
Alam ni Presidente kung gaano kahirap ang buhay sa ilalim ng ECQ. At alinsunod sa kaniyang pangako na gagastusin niya ang lahat ng kaban ng bayan para po makinabang ang mga mamamayan."
In Translation: President Rodrigo Duterte knows how difficult it is to live under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). According to his promise that he would spend under the means of the government, he is living by this promise.
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Deadline of cash distribution
Many of us did not know this but did you know that some LGUs were given a week of extension to finish and finalize the fund distribution from its original date of April 30th, 2020? Yes, in fact, they were given a 7-day extension.
If you are part of this demographic, then it's safe to say that you "might" be part of this addition. However, we can never tell who or which households are going to receive the cash aid.
But if you are in need of cash assistance; you can refer to the link below to see the different cash aid opportunities provided by our government. They're comprised of cash beneficiaries, loans from various government offices, and so on.
Read: List of Government Cash Assistance Programs For the COVID-19 Crisis
Regardless of the delay, people should be happy about the President providing 5 million more families this cash aid; it's a sign that our government truly cares for the welfare of each and every household in the pandemic-stricken areas.
What do you think about this addition? Can this remedy the need of some households and families?
Source/s: The Philippine Star | The Philippine Daily Inquirer
Okay po ang nais ng Pangulo na maihatiď sa mahihirap ang tulong pero ang problema mo ay sa LGU dto po smin sa SJDM Bulacan mga supporter lang po ng mga naka upo aang pinili ng DSWD mga district officer may mga 2 tao sa isang pamilya.Sana po maka rating oto sa kina uukulan.dahil napaka dami po sa lugar na ito na hindi naka tanggap ng para sa kanila.