Cezario Joel Espejo, Department of Social Welfare and Development-Region 12 director. (File photo courtesy of DSWD-12)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) has expanded the rollout of its digital distribution system to cover more waitlisted beneficiaries of the social amelioration program (SAP) living in remote areas.
DSWD-Region 12 director Cezario Joel Espejo said Wednesday a total of 46,611 SAP beneficiaries already received their PHP5,000-cash aid since they tapped last week the electronic or e-payment systems of at least three financial service providers (FSP).
He said the recipients comprise about 52 percent of the 89,868 target under the scheme, which utilized payment conduits Western Union, Cebuana, and M Lhuillier.
Around PHP233.05 million in cash assistance has been so far disbursed by their partner payment centers, he said.
“The recipients are mainly clients situated in the region’s geographically-isolated and disadvantaged areas,” he told reporters.
The agency tapped the services of the FSPs to fast-track the releases of the cash assistance to the waitlisted SAP beneficiaries, who were mainly recommended by local government units.
DSWD-12 has identified a total 144,364 qualified family heads for the supplemental distribution of the subsidy, which was for households severely affected by the economic impact of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
Espejo said the DSWD central office earlier signed memorandums of agreement with the FSPs and the Land Bank of the Philippines for the rollout of the digital distribution system.
He said LandBank, which serves as the “main depository bank,” downloads the funds to the identified FSPs to facilitate the release of the assistance based on the instruction and payroll documents provided by the agency.
Qualified recipients with mobile numbers in their SAP forms received notifications from the three payout facilities regarding their subsidy claims, he said.
Espejo said the distribution is ongoing across the region for waitlisted SAP beneficiaries who have not yet received their cash assistance. (PNA)
