A total of 503,741 poor families in Bicol have already received the PhP5,000.00 emergency subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) amounting to Php2,092,720,600.00, as of April 22, 2020, 10 am.

According to Regional Director Arnel Garcia, 87 out of 114 local government units (LGUs) are currently distributing the cash subsidy to qualified poor families.

“To achieve the target of 1.1 million poor families of the SAP [Social Amelioration Program] here in the Bicol Region, we are in constant coordination with the LGUs by providing them technical assistance along its implementation,” Director Garcia said.

From 503,741 poor families, 315,544 are beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) while 188,197 are poor families belonging to the informal sector and with member/s of the vulnerable and disadvantaged sectors such as senior citizens, Persons with Disability (PWDs), Overseas Filipinos (OFs) in distress, pregnant and lactating women, solo parents, indigent Indigenous Peoples, homeless citizens and informal economy workers, who have been greatly affected by the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine.

Last April 8, 2020, DSWD Region 5 released 100% of its SAP funds to 114 LGUs for the Non-4Ps beneficiaries of the program through bank transfer.

“We also have DSWD personnel deployed in different LGUs to provide augmentation during the implementation of the program,” Director Garcia explained.

The SAP is a mitigation measure under the Republic Act 11469 also known as the “Bayanihan to Heal as One” Act for the poor families who have lost their means of earning a living under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) brought about by the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

In the Bicol Region, 1,146,914 poor families are expected to receive the cash assistance wherein 374,627 are 4Ps beneficiaries and 772,287 are non-4Ps qualified families. /ramsertan/