Cash aid distribution extended by one week – DILG

April 30, 2020

The government is giving some local government units up to one week to complete the distribution of cash assistance to low income families, an official said on Thursday.

Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said that his office and the Department of Social Welfare and Development have agreed to give the LGUs, particularly in the National Capital Region, the provinces of Cavite, Rizal, Laguna and Bulacan, and cities of Cebu and Davao a 7-day extension and 4-day extension for other LGUs that have encountered some problems.

"(DSWD) Secretary (Rolando) Rolly Bautista and I studied the situation of Metro Manila and other places with high density population of urban poor families. And we have seen that their reasons are valid because they can really distribute (the cash assistance) on time, but the physical and social distancing would be violated. So the purpose to prevent the spread of the virus would be defeated," he explained.

The DILG, which has the supervision over the LGUs, has initially given the local chief executives to complete the distribution of the cash aid under the Social Amelioration Program by Thursday, April 30, for the first of two tranches.

But as of April 29, a little over 50 percent of the SAP has been disbursed, based on the DSWD report.

"Overall, about P50 billion has already been given to 9.4 million beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program for the first tranche of the fund that the DSWD has released (to LGUs)," said Bautista.

About 18 million low income families are targeted to benefit from the SAP.

Año said that once the distribution of SAP is completed, the LGUs should immediately submit a liquidation report in order for the second tranche to be prepared. 

"Once there is full liquidation, the DSWD will already have a basis to release the second tranche. Of course, there will be validation to be made on the liquidation (report)," he said. Celerina Monte/DMS