Residents line up outside a covered court in Barangay Payatas, Quezon City hoping to receive the cash assistance under the DSWD’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP) on May 12, 2020. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News
MANILA - The second tranche of cash aid for poor families during the coronavirus crisis will be limited only to those in areas still under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) as of May, Malacañang said Tuesday.
The change is due to limited funding, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said.
"Dahil limitado lang po ang ponding binigay ng Kongreso, 'yung mabibigyan po sa second tranche ay 'yun lamang mga nananatili sa ECQ na dineklara noong pangalawang buwan ng ating Pangulo," Roque said.
(Due to limited funds from Congress, those who will receive cash aid for the second tranche are those in areas under ECQ that was declared by the President for the second month.)
The government earlier allotted a P200 billion fund to provide emergency subsidies, ranging from P5,000 to P8,000, to over 18 million poor families for April and May.
Roque added that President Rodrigo Duterte approved the inclusion of 5 million more families in the first tranche of the government's cash aid program.
"Hindi lang 18 million ang mabibigyan po ng SAP (Social Amelioration Program) sa first tranche, madadagdagan pa po ng 5 million,” Roque said.
(Another 5 million beneficiaries will receive SAP for the first tranche.)
The deadline for the distribution of the first tranche of cash aid lapsed on Sunday. The Department of the Interior and Local Government said 1,265 local government units met the deadline.
ECQ, cash aid, SAP, social amelioration program, coronavirus, COVID-19, Philippines