SAP DISTRIBUTION. Recipients of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) cash aid in Iloilo City receive their PHP6,000 grant. The city government will proceed with the release of social pension benefits to indigent elderly next week once the SAP distribution is finished by Thursday (May 21, 2020). (File photo by Arnold Almacen/City Mayor’s Office)
ILOILO CITY – This local government will start releasing next week the social pension of 15,333 indigent senior citizens from this city who qualified for the national government’s social pension program.
“We are going to give this out next week because it is needed by our senior citizens,” said Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas during his regular press conference on Tuesday.
The fund covers the pension of the remaining 2,143 beneficiaries who were unable to claim last year and the first quarter pension for 13,190 pensioners in 2020.
The regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has downloaded to the city government PHP52.080 million composed of PHP12. 51 million for the 2019 pension and PHP39.57 million for the first six months of 2020.
Each recipient is entitled to PHP500 pension per month.
Treñas said the fund will be released either Thursday or Friday next week by district.
The venue will not be far from where they reside in consideration of the guidelines imposed during the general community quarantine (GCQ).
Under the GCQ, the movement of elderly is restricted and is limited only to buying medicines and other essentials and seeking medical consultation.
“At least they know that we will be releasing this through our CSWDO (City Social Welfare and Development Office),” he said.
Meanwhile, the city government is confident that it can complete the distribution of assistance under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) by Thursday.
On Monday, some 11,000 beneficiaries are pending with the City Accountant Office and once the funds for them are released, only 2,000 beneficiaries will be left.
The mayor said that around 80 to 85 percent of the target recipients have been released with funds, which amount to PHP6,000 per recipient.
DSWD has transferred to the city government PHP475,290,000 for 79,215 target beneficiaries. (PNA)
