SAP BENEFICIARIES. Cops in Bacacay, Albay secure the beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) on the last day of the four-day extended deadline of the Department of Social Welfare and Development for the aid distribution. Bacacay town is one of the 101 local government units that completed the government's cash assistance dole-out. (Photo courtesy of Bacacay MPS)
LEGAZPI CITY – More than one million families in Bicol have received Social Amelioration Program (SAP) cash benefits from the Department of Social Welfare and Development on Monday, the last day of distribution of the aid to people greatly affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Marygizelle Mesa, the DSWD-Bicol spokesperson, said Tuesday 101 out of the 114 local government units (LGUs) in Bicol completed the dole-out.
“For our regional target, 1,087,787 out of the 1,146,914 families were able to receive the amelioration fund,” Mesa said.
She added that the rest of the LGUs achieved almost 100 percent accomplishment of their target.
Mesa said that for the non-Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, 99.21 percent families received the aid while for the 4Ps beneficiaries, 86.29 percent were given the cash assistance.
“From the 772,287 non-4Ps target families, 766,199 families were already served or received the cash aid, while for the 4Ps from the 374,627 target families, 323,280 families were given the cash aid,” she said.
Mesa said due to intermittent internet connection, some LGUs could not report their SAP completion accomplishment.
“Lalo na ung walang Wifi or internet connection, hindi natin makuha ung exact accomplishment nila (Areas with no Wifi or internet connection, we cannot get their exact accomplishment reports), she added
DSWD-Bicol disbursed PHP5 billion in SAP funds both for the non-4PS and 4Ps beneficiaries.
The agency, along with the departments of Labor and Employment, Agriculture, Trade and Industry, Budget and Management, Health, and the Interior and Local Government, laid out the guidelines for the SAP distribution under Republic Act 11469, the "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act". (PNA)
