The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Saturday said it sought to finish the distribution of the second tranche of emergency cash subsidy under the national government’s social amelioration program (SAP) by the end of this month.
DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said subsidies will be handed out to 241,000 families after completing 97 percent of the distribution.
"Nasa 97 percent accomplishment na tayo sa pamamahagi ng second tranche ng social amelioration program sa ating mga qualified beneficiaries. Nagkakahalaga po yan ng P82.7 billion," she said in an interview on Teleradyo.
"Patuloy ang ating pagbibigay ng ayuda sa mga natitira na lang po na beneficiaries . . . sa mga geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas."
Dumlao said a majority of the 240,000 families who have yet to get their SAP payouts came from Region 3 and Region 4.
She added there were also "failed transactions" wherein the beneficiaries did not receive their cash subsidies.
"Nais lang nating banggitin na in some areas dahil nga may natatanggap tayong reklamo na may mga transactions na hindi successful . . . dahil sa hindi nai-provide ang middle name ng mga beneficiaries particularly sa kanilang social amelioration card form, gayun din may kakulangan sa mga cellphone number kaya hindi na-process yung mga accounts ng ating mga beneficiaries," she said.
Dumlao said the agency is fast-tracking distribution, which DSWD officials hope to get done by the end of the month.
"Minamadali na ng DSWD na mai-process ang second tranche . . . at matapos natin sa buwan na ito ang mga natitirang accounts na kailangang mai-process," she said.
Meanwhile, she that some of those who benefitted from the first tranche of SAP subsidies may not benefit from the second installment.
"Sumailalim sa masusing validation ang listahan ng beneficiaries na nakatanggap ng first tranche. Because of the validation nakita natin na may mga ineligible or nakatanggap ng higit sa isang package ng emergency subsidy," Dumlao said.
The SAP cash subsidy is a product of Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act of 2020, which intended to aid 18 million Filipino families who bore the brunt of previous lockdowns over Luzon and other areas due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Social Amelioration Program, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Irene Dumlao