The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues distribution of the second tranche of the emergency cash subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) to its intended beneficiaries. As of July 28, DSWD has so far disbursed P42.8 billion to over 6.4 million family-beneficiaries of the program. The number includes more than 1.3 million Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries; 3.2 million low-income, non-4Ps families; and 1.8 million waitlisted families nationwide. DSWD is exerting all efforts to complete the distribution of the assistance to qualified beneficiaries, through manual and digital payouts, by the end of July. For geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) and conflict-affected areas, payouts may be extended until the second week of August due to mobility constraints.  

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  In a bid to expedite the provision of aid, the Department came up with innovations through the help of its partners from other national government agencies, development partners, and private groups, such as the use of a mobile and website application, the ReliefAgad, to easily capture beneficiary details; and the engagement of Financial Service Providers (FSPs) for the digital payout of the assistance. Beneficiaries who have registered through ReliefAgad have started to receive their SAP through DSWD’s partner-FSPs, including GCash, Paymaya, Starpay, RCBC, Robinsons Bank, and Unionbank. More than 4.9 million beneficiaries have received the cash subsidy through the digital mode of payment via the six FSPs. DSWD continues to urgently process the payroll for the digital payout of the SAP to the remaining beneficiaries. The Department has already pre-funded or transferred funds for the SAP of more than 4.8 million beneficiaries to its bank accounts and mother wallet accounts maintained by its partner FSPs. The number includes 1,286,551 families who will receive their subsidy from GCash; 337,768 from Paymaya; 682,639 from RCBC; 99,745 from Robinsons Bank; 1,890,263 from Starpay; and 537,668 from Unionbank. Some 50,459 will receive their SAP from Landbank of the Philippines. Simultaneous with the digital payout is the conduct of manual payouts by DSWD Field Offices (FOs) for beneficiaries who do not have access to the Internet and payout partners of FSPs, as well as those in far-flung areas. According to DSWD Secretary Rolando D. Bautista, DSWD faced challenges in the implementation of the program, but it remains committed to delivering aid to families in need.  

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  “Hindi naging madali ang mga tinahak natin. Maraming pagsubok ang ating hinarap. Sa katunayan, marami sa ating mga kawani ang nag-sa-sakripisyo at patuloy na hinaharap ang banta ng COVID-19 upang ang ayuda ay maihatid sa ating mga kababayan. Nais kong ipaabot na sa kabila ng lahat ng problema at pagsubok, hindi natitinag ang DSWD,” Secretary Bautista said. DSWD assured that it is using all means to expeditiously deliver the SAP cash subsidy to low-income family-beneficiaries to help provide for their basic needs amid the pandemic. For any concerns, questions, or suggestions, you may contact any of the following DSWD Field Offices through their official Facebook pages. You may also reach them at the following contact numbers and email addresses:   —(Source: DSWD)