VIRTUAL PRESSER. Benguet governor Melchor Diclas is being interviewed by Presidential Communications Operations (PCO) Secretary Martin Andanar during the Laging Handa virtual presser on Wednesday (April 29, 2020). Diclas said some of the towns are requesting for an extension to distribute the social amelioration program aid to the beneficiaries who live in remote areas of the province. (Photo by Joseph Zambrano/ PIA-CAR)
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The provincial government here said on Wednesday some towns have asked that they would be given an extension to distribute the remaining social amelioration program (SAP) aid.
During the Laging Handa virtual presser facilitated by Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Martin Andanar, Governor Melchor Diclas said Benguet has reached about 80 percent in the distribution of the national government’s financial assistance.
“Sa ngayon 70 to 80 percent na kami sa distribution ng SAP. Medyo nahihirapan lang kami dahil sa topograpiya ng aming probinsiya (To date, we are 70 to 80 percent in the distribution of the SAP. We are just having some difficulties with the topography of our province),” Diclas said.
He said 119 barangays out of the 140 spread out in the 13 municipalities have completed the distribution of the financial assistance to the beneficiaries.
He said only four towns have yet to complete their distribution, which are facing challenges due to the rough terrain, remoteness of the places, and the difficulty in validating the names of beneficiaries.
Diclas said he had the mayor of the capital town La Trinidad, mining towns Mankayan and Itogon as well as Tuba, write Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año, requesting for an extension to distribute the SAP aid.
He noted that a village in Tuba can only be reached via the provinces of La Union and Pangasinan and involves several hours of hiking before they can be reached.
This is true for the Las-igen village in Mankayan, sitios in barangay Dalupirip in Itogon, Diclas said.
"They are doing their best to finish [the distribution in time]," he added.
He said Benguet has a target of 71,000 beneficiaries, 11,000 of who are beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
Each beneficiary will receive PHP5,500 under the SAP. (PNA)
