LEGAZPI CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Bicol regional office on Wednesday said at least 1.1 million families in the region will benefit from the agency's Social Amelioration Package (SAP) during the public health crisis.
Marygizelle Mesa, DSWD-Bicol spokesperson, in a phone interview, said the beneficiaries will receive PHP5,000 worth of benefits but whether it will be in the form of cash or goods is still to be determined pending the issuance of guidelines.
She said members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps are automatically included in the social amelioration program on top of their existing benefits.
“For our regional target, we have 1,146,914 families,” Mesa said, adding that of this number, 374,627 are 4Ps beneficiaries and 772,287 are non-4Ps but nevertheless poor families.
She said they have started coordinating with various local government units (LGUs) in the region with regard to the giving of social amelioration cards (SAC) to the intended beneficiaries.
“We are expecting LGUs to distribute the forms immediately to the identified beneficiaries. Kung gaano kabilis ang LGUs, ganoon kabilis matatanggap ang benepisyo. Sila kasi ang magsa-submit sa amin ng mga SAC forms (It is the action of the LGUs that will determine how fast they will receive the benefits. They will submit to us the SAC forms)," she said.
Mesa added that DSWD-Bicol is just waiting for the funds to be downloaded.
“For the 4Ps members, they will be prioritized since we already have their data. Automatically, they will receive the benefits. For those with cash cards, it will be top-up to their ATMs. For those without cash cards, it will be handed over by their respective LGUs,” she said.
Mesa said 4Ps beneficiaries who receive a fixed amount of PHP1,350 (PHP600 as rice subsidy and PHP750 as health grant) per month will receive an additional PHP3,650 to have the PHP5,000 SAP grant.
“It will be given for two months (April and May),” she added.
The DSWD, along with the Departments of Labor and Employment, Agriculture, Trade and Industry, Budget and Management, Health, and the Interior and Local Government, has planned out the guidelines for the government’s Social Amelioration Package under Republic Act 11469, the "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act". (PNA)
