Known as a premier tourist destination in the Province of Bohol, the Municipality of Loboc was catapulted in local and foreigners list through its magnificent Loboc River. The winding river plays host to cruisers on board small bancas or floating restaurants and visitors are treated to an idyllic setting of tropical vegetation such as nipa palms, coconut and banana trees.

With tourists pouring in the quaint town of Loboc, it boosted its local economy and provided jobs to the tourism sectors like floating resto operators and workers, cultural dancers, tourist drivers, rondalla musicians among others.

However on March 16, 2020, the entire Bohol was placed on a community quarantine to stop the further spread of the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) thereby, closing iconic tourist sites including the Loboc Tourism Complex and the Loboc Eco-Adventure Park.

To address the food and non-food basic needs of the people, the national government created the Republic Act (RA) No. 11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal as One” Act implemented by the different government agencies including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The DSWD has provided, among others, an emergency subsidy ranging from 5,000 to 8,000 pesos per family to about 18 million low-income poor families who have been severely affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Such subsidy represents the minimum wage rate per region meant to provide the poor households an additional resource to allow them to purchase basic necessities such as food, medicines, vitamins and hygiene essentials.

For Central Visayas region, SAP beneficiaries have received an amount of Php 6,000.00.

 The Preparation

Loboc Mayor Leon Calipusan shared that upon the directive of the national government, he immediately convened the entire Local Government Unit (LGU) including the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO), various department heads, members of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC), Sangguniang Bayan (SB) and the Vice-Mayor.

With a total target of 2,610 family beneficiaries, it was agreed that they will equitably distribute the number of target beneficiaries to the 28 barangays, targeting to 62% of their total number of families.

After finalizing their allocation, each barangay scrutinized every household using the criteria and eligibility of the program.

“Dako akong kalipay ug mapasalamaton sa national government tungod niining programa sa pangpahatag og ayuda pinaagi sa DSWD aron matagaan ang pinakalabaw’ng lisud nga igsuon natong Boholano. Aron madali ang pagsumiter sa mga listahan, atong gitahasan ang atong mga barangay officials nga muhatag sa 62% sa mga pamilya sa ilang barangay ug ang ilang mga gisumiter i-validate sa atong MSWDO ug DSWD staff (I am happy and grateful to the national government through DSWD because of their program that gives cash aid to our Boholano less fortunate brothers and sisters. To fast track the submission of list of beneficiaries, we ordered the barangay officials to cover 62% of the families in their barangay and the list of beneficiaries that they would submit has to be validated by the MSWDO and DSWD staff),” said Mayor Calipusan.

Before the actual payout, the LGU initiated consultation meetings and technical assistance with the Barangay Officials and oriented them on the guidelines including how to fill-out the SAC forms.

To fast track the SAP payout, LGU Loboc made a simultaneous payout to its 28 barangays using the eleven (11) payout teams it has created composed of the following: a Team Leader who also serves as the disbursement officer, 2 validators who check the completeness of the documents, a checker who double check the documents and ensure that there is signature in the payroll, a photographer who took the photos of each beneficiary and security personnel composed of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

After the simultaneous payouts, the LGU also conducted a house-to-house delivery of cash subsidy to 16 senior citizen recipients.

To address complaints on exclusion errors, Mayor Calipusan established a Grievance Center to cater public concerns and Ms. Analou Luayon, MSWDO head, serves as the overall grievance officer. Complaints posted on social media were also captured and Mayor Calipusan assigned the school administrator of the Loboc Learning Center for Excellence (LLCE), LGU run vocational school, to be the media officer to address all queries from the local media.

Mayor Calipusan also created 28 validation teams for those identified ineligible beneficiaries and identified under the “left-out families” which composed of the following: a Department Head who serves as a team leader and members who is a teacher, LGU staff, DSWD-7 staff and from a representative from the Civil Society Organization (CSO) in the area. ###

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