MANILA—About two weeks before the lifting of the lockdown on May 31, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is still gathering liquidation reports from about 1,600 local government units (LGUs) on fund utilization of the first tranche of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP). Confronted by technical glitches and delays on the first tranche, the agency is under pressure to find innovate ways to hasten the next round of distribution of assistance to beneficiaries.
This was disclosed by Director Irene Dumlao, spokesperson of the DSWD in a radio-TV interview over DZBB, Wednesday. She said their office has received information from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) that 95 percent of LGUs have already finished their distribution. “Marami namang LGUs na nakatapos na ngunit kailangan naming makaabot ng 100 percent upang ma-release ang second tranche ng SAP,” Dumlao said. She also said that based on the guidelines of the SAP, the department has 15 days to study the report of the LGUs.
She also clarified during the interview that DSWD has yet to receive a directive from the Palace about the manner of distribution of the second tranche. “Hinihintay pa namin ang directive galing sa Malacanang tungkol sa second tranche ngunit pinaghahandaan na namin ito,” she said.
Based on the online press briefing of Secretary Harry Roque, spokesperson for the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Tuesday, only those beneficiaries who are under the newly declared enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) can receive the succeeding SAP support from the government.
Earlier, President Rody Duterte and the IATF approved the inclusion of another five million beneficiaries who were left out during the first tranche to the said program. The president also suggested during his public address aired on Tuesday morning that he might mobilize the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to help in the distribution.
Director Dumlao said they agree with the suggestion of the president and as such, DSWD is currently in contact with the AFP to draft the guidelines for this partnership in the distribution. “In fact we are contemplating on using the new technology to speed up the distribution tulad ng online wallet para mas madali ang pagbigay ng pera,” Dumlao continued.
She hopes that through the help of the AFP and innovative technology, the difficulties they experienced in the first wave of distribution will be minimized, if not totally avoided.
