The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday, July 16, said it is targeting to complete the distribution of the second tranche of cash aid under the government’s social amelioration program (SAP) by the end of July. During the hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, DSWD Undersecretary Danilo Pamonag said the agency has already disbursed the second wave of the SAP to 3.2 million beneficiaries amounting 19.4 billion. “We hope to complete the payouts for second tranche through a combination of digital and direct payouts by the end of July,” Pamonag added “However, we are foreseeing that some payouts may extend in August due to some factors such as mobility constraints in reaching far-flung areas or geographically isolated disadvantaged areas, which might take a day or two to reach,” he said. Pamonag also said there are also security concerns, which may require systematic coordination and planning with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police (PNP). “I would like to inform you that we are closely coordinating with the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” he said. He added delays may also occur due to the health factors as some of the SAP implementers have to observe the 14-day quarantine. “These are the three significant factors which we foresee that may possibly delay the implementation of SAP. Otherwise, we can finish it by the end of this month,” he added.  

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  The SAP allows the national government to distribute temporary cash assistance worth PHP5,000 to PHP8,000 to low-income families who have been most affected by the COVID-19 crisis. About 18 million poor households have received the first tranche of emergency subsidies under the program. On the other hand, only 12 million of the 18 million beneficiaries of the first SAP aid will get the second tranche. They will be joined by 5 million waitlisted beneficiaries.   —(Source: PNA, Bussiness Mirror)