CEBU CITY - The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) disbursed a total of PHP12.3 billion for the social amelioration program (SAP) last year.
DSWD-7 reported on Friday that for the first tranche of SAP, it disbursed to the local government units (LGUs) a total of PHP7.7 billion to over 1.3 million family beneficiaries.
For the second tranche, the regional office already provided more than PHP4.6 billion through manual and digital payouts to over 644,138 family-beneficiaries.
SAP targeted low-income families or workers in the informal economy assessed to be the most affected by the declaration of the community quarantine due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
“The previous year 2020 was filled with challenges and various calamities including the Covid-19 pandemic. It has brought havoc to individuals, families, and communities not only in Region 7 but worldwide. The DSWD has stood true to its mandate, serving with love, and commitment to less fortunate people needing us,” regional director Rebecca Geamala said in a statement.
The department also implemented the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or the Bayanihan 2 in the last quarter of 2020 as the agency’s response and recovery intervention to the Covid-19 pandemic and has continued the payouts this 2021.
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) currently serves 277,378 active households in the region, utilizing more than PHP5.6 billion cash grants while it also provided livelihood support to 29,077 families through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), disbursing more than PHP236 million funds.
Meanwhile, under the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS), 731 sub-projects have been completed in 633 barangays in the region with a budget of more than PHP1.5 billion. Some of these sub-projects are isolation centers, telecommunication equipment, and cash-for-work scheme.
The DSWD also ensured that clients are assisted through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) and served 325,651 clients in the region for their educational, medical, transportation, burial, and food and non-food assistance amounting to PHP984 million in 2020.
To help augment the daily subsistence and medical needs of indigent senior citizens, the DSWD did not falter in delivering the cash stipend under the Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens.
It benefited 277,712 indigent senior citizens in the region with a total disbursed funds of PHP1.6 billion.
The agency also monitored disasters, prepositioned family food packs in the provinces to ensure ample resources for disaster-affected families, mobilized quick response teams, and provided augmentation support to the LGUs.
DSWD-7 distributed last year family food packs and non-food items with a total cost of assistance of more than PHP210 million. (PNA)
