DAVAO CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-11) has started downloading the emergency fund under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) of the government to support workers in the informal sector affected by the 2019 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
DSWD-11 Director Grace Subong on Monday said the agency has already downloaded funds to some 15 cities and municipalities in Davao Region and that more disbursements are being scheduled to reach all the region's intended beneficiaries.
Subong said they are currently in the process of validating and reassessing the list of recipients to be able to start the payouts within the week.
Recipients can access the money through cash cards and those without cards will receive their payouts in cash.
Davao Region has 935,521 workers belonging to the informal sector, based on the Department of Finance (DOF) and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The figure is 73 percent of the total number of families in the region.
Of this number, there are 267,974 Pantawid beneficiaries and 685,547 non-Pantawid recipients.
The emergency subsidy of PHP6,000 per month is good for two months -- April and May -- per family, based on the daily minimum wage pay in the region at PHP396 per day.
"With the help of our partners we can come up with the final list and start the payout already," she said, adding the DSWD is working closely with the barangay and the local social welfare development office.
Subong also said that they have assigned team leaders from DSWD for every province and city to work with the different teams in the cities and municipalities.
A pay master will also be assigned and the payouts will be administered in partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and the Department of Interior and Local Government. (PNA)
