DSWD: 500,000 low-income families yet to receive 2nd cash grant payout

At least 500,000 families have yet to receive the second tranche of their cash grant under the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP), which provides cash assistance to low income families amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Tuesday.

“Mga 500,000 family beneficiaries pa po ang hindi pa nakakatanggap…ito po iyong nailista ng mga local government units pero may mali po sa [entry on] cellphone number, walang cellphone number o wala pong middle name. Iyon po kasi ‘yung required ng ating financial service providers para sa kanilang unique transaction record [for SAP claim],” DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao told Dobol B sa News TV.

She added, however, that those qualified to receive the SAP will be able to claim their benefit from financial service providers and couriers beyond August 31.

"Sa pakikipag-usap po natin sa financial service providers, magpapatuloy po ang pamamahagi ng ayuda kasi na-download naman na po ang pondo sa kanila. May garantiya po na magkakaroon ng payout sa ating mga beneficiaries beyond August 31," she said.

In addition, Dumlao said that P81-billion worth of the second tranche of SAP, or 95%, has been distributed to 13.6 million family beneficiaries thus far.

The 13.6 million beneficiaries, Dumlao said, include the additional 3.2 million family beneficiaries  added to the initial target of 18 million low-income family beneficiaries.

“Covered po ng second tranche iyong mga areas under ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) until May this year. Ito po iyong NCR (National Capital Region), Region 3, Region 4 or Calabarzon, Davao, Cebu, Albay province, Zamboanga City. Five million po ang dapat na karagdagan pero ang nakuha lang po nating submission from local government ay additional 3.2 million families lang kaya ito ang kasama sa mga nakatanngap ng second tranche,” Dumlao said.

ECQ is a quarantine protocol that bans public transport and non-essential work.

Based on the latest Social Weather Stations survey, around 27 million Filipinos lost jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic due to varying quarantine protocols. — BM, GMA News