Better off GenSan locals return social amelioration cash –DILG

Several General Santos City locals showed their quality after they returned the Social Amelioration Program assistance they received from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as they believed that they were not entitled to the benefit.

"May maganda po kaming balita. Sa iba pong lugar sa ating bansa, from our Regional Director in GenSan (General Santos City), marami po ang nagsasauli ng kanilang SAP dahil sinasabi nila ay hindi sila entitled sa tingin nila, at dahil meron naman silang negosyo na puwedeng pagkunan, they are returning," Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said at the Laging Handa public briefing.

"So sana po ito pong ganitong klaseng bayanihan or ugali, gawin din ng ilan sa ating mga kababayan na tumatanggap ng dalawa mula sa dalawang ahensiya," Malaya added.

At the same briefing, Malaya said citizens who already received their P5,000 from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) should just take P1,500 from the social amelioration aid from the DSWD, so that they end up with P6,500 in assistance.

"Ito lamang po ang pakiusap natin sa ating mga kababayan. Kung kayo po ay tumanggap na sa dalawa, sana naman po ay kusa niyo nang sabihin sa inyong mga local government units na kayo pala ay tumanggap na kasi nga po 'yung puwede po sanang matulungan niyan, hindi nakakatanggap dahil hindi niyo dinisclose na kayo pala ay nakatanggap na sa dalawang ahensiya at kailangang kunin niyo na lamang ang butal," Malaya said.

Some constituents from Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat were also reported to have returned their Social Amelioration Program (SAP) aid after receiving cash assistance from another program.

A beneficiary of the Philippine government's poverty reduction program also returned the cash aid given to him by the local government of Gumaca town in Quezon province.

Some residents of Pagadian City also showed their solidarity with their town mates by respectfully declining the relief goods distributed by the local government amid the lockdown imposed due to the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). — DVM, GMA News