Unaided 94-year-old Caloocan woman attempts to apply for cash aid

Despite queuing since dawn for her social amelioration aid at a Bagong Silang, Caloocan City payout center, a 94-year-old woman still ended up with nothing as she had failed to fill out a SAP form.

"Wala akong pamilya, mga anak ko, mga namatay na eh. Ako natitira lang," said Magna Aparece in Mark Salazar's Friday report on 24 Oras.

Aparece was not given a SAP form previously, and she fell in line to get one.

"Mag-aaply pa lang sana," said the nonagenarian.

"Baka akala niya po pilahan ng bigayan ng SAP form, wala siyang kasama, kawawa naman. 'Di ba nag-mass filing na rin tayo ng SAP noong ano pa po eh," said Rochelle Fernando of the Caloocan CSWD.

Fernando could do nothing but list Aparece's case for the next distribution. However, she could not promise that Aparece would receive her SAP any time soon.

"Mahirap na ipapangako mo, kaya hindi rin po talaga kami nag-aano. Lagi kong sinasabi, kung meron man, malalaman din nila, makakarating naman 'yun kasi ibabahay-bahay din naman po 'yun," Fernando said.

Meanwhile, a woman who searched for her pregnant daughter's name in the master list of SAP forms was in tears.

"Nagbilad po kami sa init dahil buntis 'yung anak ko, ako ho 'yung pumila. Ito na po 'yung nangyari sa paa ko, sobrang namamaga. Ang gusto ko po sana, kung mayroon talaga, makuha na ng anak ko ngayon kasi hypertensive ho akong tao sir," the woman said.

Social workers soon assisted the woman in finding her daughter's name.

Many in the payout center also fell in line as early as dawn.

Denver, a construction worker who fell in line as early as 3 a.m., was exhausted and was suffering badly in the heat.

"Hirap na po eh, kailangan na po eh, wala na pong pambili pangkonsumo eh. No choice po eh, ganoon talaga eh, hindi nakapagtrabaho eh," said Denver.

The city social welfare department arrived with the cash before 11 a.m.

Construction worker Albert was among the first who was given P8,000 in aid, after falling in line three times previously.

"Pagkain po sa bahay, bigas tsaka mga kailangan tsaka gatas po ng anak ko," Albert said.

CSWD civil servants, who were themselves also exhausted by all the procedures, said they would try to finish the payout in Bagong Silang this Friday.

"Kagabi sa akin alas-dose na po eh kasi nakakaawa din 'yung mga tao kasi maghapon din silang nakapila. Siyempre 'pag nandito na tinatapos na lang din po namin kasi kawawa din," Fernando said.

Authorities reminded beneficiaries to be on the lookout for thieves once they receive their cash aid.

"Hindi na po natin sila ma-assist para sa transportation nila kasi ang mas pina-priority po ngayon 'yung pila sa labas at saka po 'yung pera na hawak ng mga DSWD kasi po malaking pera 'yung ipinamimigay sa SAP," a policeman said. — Jamil Santos/DVM, GMA News