Payout for second tranche of Social Amelioration Program to start on June 17 —DILG

The distribution of cash assistance under the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program will start on Wednesday, June 17, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Tuesday.

In a public briefing, DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the pilot payout of the aid will start in Benguet in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

“Bukas nga po ay may pilot distribution payout na po ang DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] sa Benguet sa Cordillera Administrative Region. Doon po magsisimula at sunod-sunod na po ito hanggang sa June 23,” he said.

According to Malaya, local government units have listed 4.2 million “waitlisted” and “left out“  families as beneficiaries of the program.

“Through our coordination with the DSWD, nakalap na po natin 'yung numero at pangalan ng mga head of the households na mga waitlisted at mga left out families sa buong bansa,” Malaya said.

“At sa huling datos na ibinigay sa atin ng mga local government units, nasa 4.2 [million] na ho ang numero ng pamilyang ito,” he added.

On Tuesday, Malaya said the department conducted an orientation for local governments’ operation officers for the distribution of the cash assistance.

Provincial directors of the Philippine National Police also attended the orientation as police personnel have been tasked to assist the DSWD in the distribution to beneficiaries.

Around a thousand participants across the country attended the orientation, Malaya said.

Under the Social Amelioration Program, low-income families will be given cash assistance of P5,000 to P8,000 per month for two months to help them cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program had a budget of over P200 billion. —KG, GMA News