The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VII has already served 411,028 low-income families in Cebu for the second tranche of Social Amelioration Program (SAP). The total amount paid amounted to Php 2,466,168,000.00, as of October 7, 2020.

Out of the 411,028 SAP beneficiaries in Cebu, 336,416 beneficiaries were paid through partner Financial Service Providers (FSPs) like Starpay, RCBC, PayMaya, Gcash and Unionbank. The DSWD have partnered with FSPs to fast track the payment to areas which are not categorized as geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA).

The FSPs are Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)-regulated financial institutions that have the capacity for digital payments.

The remaining 74,612 SAP beneficiaries were paid through DSWD Special Disbursement Officers (SDOs). These beneficiaries live in GIDA and conflict affected areas and beneficiaries in Cebu City who do not have smartphones or those who do not have mobile numbers.

“For those who have not yet received their emergency cash subsidy, please wait for further information since our partner FSPs found discrepancies with some of the beneficiaries’ restricted transactional accounts like their complete names and mobile number,” said Regional Director Rebecca Geamala.

“We need to correct the information. Once finalized, our partner FSPs will inform our SAP beneficiaries,” added Director Geamala.

Meanwhile, low-income families who are eligible but were not included during the first tranche payout were also able to receive their emergency cash subsidy.

Based on Executive Order No. 112, S. of 2020 dated April 30, DSWD targets low income families who are under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and the “waitlisted” families as approved by President Rodrigo Duterte for inclusion in the SAP.

A total of 89,669 waitlisted families in Cebu received a lump sum of Php 12,000.00 during the second tranche payout while the 20,209 waitlisted families in Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor which are non-ECQ areas received Php 6,000.00.

“We will also continue our payout for those waitlisted families who have not yet received their SAP through our SDOs. We will inform them through their Local Government Units (LGUs) and we will be posting announcement in our official social media accounts,” said Director Geamala.

The Department emphasized that only poor and low-income families at risk of not earning income during the ECQ period are qualified to receive the SAP.

“There should also no duplication of receiving the emergency cash subsidy for beneficiaries under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) and beneficiaries from other national government agencies (NGAs) like DOLE, DA or SSS,” said Geamala.

Furthermore, Director Geamala encouraged the SAP beneficiaries to use the cash subsidy wisely as it meant to buy basic necessities such as food, medicines, vitamins and hygiene essentials for their family. ###

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