22,000 duplicate SAP beneficiaries found

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said its ongoing validation of the distribution of the first tranche of P5,000 to P8,000 emergency cash subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) has uncovered around 22,000 duplicate beneficiaries from the aid programs being undertaken by the different agencies.

Social Welfare Undersecretary Rene Glen Paje, at a virtual press briefing, said the discovery has prompted the agency to intensify validation of the beneficiaries and liquidation reports submitted by local government units (LGUs) that distributed the first SAP tranche in April.

Paje said that 1,556 out of the 1,634 LGUs have achieved 100 percent distribution of the first tranche to assist citizens during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

He said the cash aid involved P99.8 billion and covered 17.6 million low-income, vulnerable families tagged as eligible to get the emergency cash subsidy.

Paje said the DSWD has started distribution of the P5,000 to P8,000 emergency cash subsidy to 3.5 million of the 5 million additional SAP beneficiaries in the so-called waitlist who were left out of the first tranche of cash aid.

He said that the 5 million waitlisted families are those in the regions still under enhanced community quarantine last May when Malacañang decided to add slots for SAP beneficiaries.

He said these areas included communities in Metro Manila, Region III (except Aurora), Region IV-A, Benguet province, Pangasinan; Iloilo; Cebu province; Bacolod City; Davao City; Albay province and Zamboanga City.

Paje said the DSWD had started the payout of waitlisted families in Kapangan in Benguet, as well as in Baguio City.

Last week, DSWD started releasing the second tranche of SAP for beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

A total of P6.7 billion was released for the SAP of 1.3 million 4Ps beneficiaries with cash card.

In the next days DSWD will continue to conduct payouts in other regions to be able to immediately finish disbursement for the waitlisted SAP beneficiaries. ?Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the first beneficiaries of the second tranche belonged to the 4Ps.

“Payouts have started in Benguet, including Baguio City, and additional or waitlisted families were included last June 16,” Roque said at a press briefing.

Other areas included in the second tranche of the P205-billion SAP are Pangasinan, Central Luzon region except Aurora province, Metro Manila, Albay, Iloilo, Bacolod City, Cebu province, Zamboanga City and Davao City.

Officials have expressed confidence that distribution of the second tranche of SAP would be faster and more efficient because it would involve electronic modes of cash transfer. The military and police would also help distribute aid in far-flung areas.

 Last Monday, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the government has accounted for 4,269,458 of the five million families qualified to receive assistance but were excluded during the first tranche.

About 17.6 million households or 98 percent of the intended beneficiaries have received subsidies under the first tranche. More than 291,000 households, meanwhile, are still waiting for the financial aid, according to a report submitted by President Duterte to Congress last Monday. 

The military and police have mobilized forces to assist the DSWD in distribution of the second tranche of SAP, especially in conflict affected areas. 

Armed Forces chief Gen. Felimon Santos gave assurance that they are ready to assist for a timely and effective distribution of cash assistance set to begin this month. 

“The AFP treats the SAP with the same importance as the other duties we have on hand. We join other government agencies in a collaborative effort to heal as one in the battle against COVID-19,” he said in a statement. 

The military will provide technical, administrative and logistical assistance to DSWD personnel as needed. 

Adjustment in troop deployment has already been undertaken by the AFP to prevent threat groups from disrupting the distribution of cash subsidies in high-risk areas.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Archie Gamboa has ordered field commanders to deploy police officers to assist DSWD personnel and barangay officials.

“I ordered Police Regional Offices and concerned PNP units to give full support in terms of technical, administrative and logistical assistance to facilitate the orderly distribution of cash aid under SAP,” he said in a statement.

Gamboa issued the directive in compliance with President Duterte’s order tapping the PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines to ensure the cash aid will reach the intended beneficiaries.

Police units have also coordinated with their counterparts in the military to ensure safe passage of beneficiaries at designated distribution centers. Alexis Romero, Romina Cabrera, Emmanuel Tupas