The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Bicol cautions the public on the proliferation of fake information on Social Media regarding the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
“The spreading of fake information about SAP deceives the public and hampers the process of the emergency subsidy,” Director Arnel Garcia said.
The Department has received reports that some Facebook accounts and pages distributed copies of Social Amelioration Cards (SACs) to be used by poor families in acquiring the assistance.
“DSWD issued barcoded and pre-numbered e-copies of SACs to the Local Government Units (LGUs) that will be printed and distributed by LGUs,” Director Garcia explained.
Only original barcoded SAC will be accepted by the agency as an official document for the release of the emergency subsidy to targeted beneficiaries.
The agency also advises the public not to share Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) circulating on Facebook that are not released from the DSWD official social media accounts.
Currently, the Department only uses one (1) Facebook page with a link, https://www.facebook.com/dswdserves/ and one (1) Twitter account under the name, @dswdserves.
For Bicol Region, the DSWD Field Office maintains one (1) Facebook account with a link, https://www.facebook.com/dswdfo5, one (1) Twitter page and Instagram page using the name, @dswdfo5 and Youtube channel with the name, dswdfo5.
“We are requesting the public to discern the information being disseminated on different social media platforms and be cautious in sharing the information,” Director Garcia advised.
ABOUT SAP
The Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) or SAP is part of the Republic Act (RA) 11469 or Bayanihan to Heal as One Act to provide cash or non-cash assistance to poor families and households with members belonging to vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens, Persons with Disability (PWDs), pregnant and lactating women, solo parents, Overseas Filipinos (OFs) in distress, Indigent Indigenous Peoples, underprivileged and homeless individuals and other members of the vulnerable sectors who are undergoing any clinical or hospital procedure or those recovering from major health surgeries or organ transplants.
Also, part of the targeted families of SAP are Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, informal economy workers who are independent, self-employed, small-scale producers and distributors of goods and services of the following:
| Directly hired or occasional worker/s like laundry maid; |
| Subcontracted worker/s for example, pakyaw workers; |
| Homeworkers such as family enterprise such as those involved in crafts making, native delicacy production, home-based food processing including those online sellers); |
| House helpers such as. kasambahay or family driver; |
| Drivers of pedicab, tricycle, PUJs, PUVs, and Transport PUBs, taxi, and Transport Network Companies (TNC) registered vehicles such as ANGKAS and JOYRIDE drivers; |
| Transportation Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers for example, Grab drivers; |
| Micro-entrepreneurs and producers, operators of sari-sari stores, and the like; |
| Family enterprise owners such as owners of carinderia, fruit or vegetable vendors and vendors in streets, RTW, etc.; |
| Sub-minimum wage earners for example, dishwashers or helpers in carinderia; |
| Farmers who are not 4Ps beneficiaries and are not covered by Social Amelioration Programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA); |
| Employees affected by “no work, no pay” policy and not covered by Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Order No. 209, Series of 2020 or any DOLE issuance/s on adjustment measures program; and |
| Stranded workers like construction workers stranded in their respective construction sites. |
This will serve as a mitigating measure to those poor families who are badly affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) due to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
The subsidy will amount to a minimum of PhP5,000.00 and a maximum of PhP8,000.00 per month for two (2) months depending on the regional minimum wage rates. For Bicol Region, each poor family will be receiving P5,000.00 per month for the months of April and May, 2020.
The program is in collaboration and coordination of DSWD with the other government agencies such as Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). /ramsertan/