ILOILO City – Twenty-three more local government units (LGUs) in Western Visayas received Social Amelioration Program (SAP) funds from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for distribution to their constituents.
This brought to 103 the LGUs now set to release cash assistance to their people economically displaced by the ongoing enhanced community quarantine, according to Regional Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre.
Yesterday, DSWD and the LGU of Zarraga, Iloilo started distributing SAP cash grants to 4,215 family beneficiaries.
Assistant Secretary for Specialized Programs Rhea Peñaflor said under Republic Act (RA) 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, 18 million low-income families all over the country are expected to receive emergency cash assistance to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus public health emergency.
Western Visayas has 133 LGUs. The 23 additional LGUs were in the following provinces:
* Aklan – Tangalan, Buruanga, Makato, and Balete
* Antique – San Remigio, Bugasong, Sibalom, Pandan, and Caluya
* Capiz – Tapaz
* Negros Occidental – Talisay City
* Guimaras – Buenavista
* Iloilo – San Miguel, Sara, Dingle, Lambunao, Leon, Batad, Concepcion, Santa Barbara, San Dionisio, Leganes, and Lemery
The SAP funds released to the 103 LGUs so far reached P5,905,974,000.
Peñaflor was in Barangay Dawis, Zarraga yesterday to oversee the distribution of cash aid to 70 beneficiaries amounting to P420,000.
Each beneficiary received a cash subsidy of P6,000.
DSWD has released P25,290,000 in SAP funds to the municipality of Zarraga for 4,215 qualified families in 24 barangays.
Under the SAP, the LGU should pay out the beneficiaries within five days after the transfer of funds.
As of yesterday, the town already distributed P768,000 cash aid to 128 families in barangays Dawis Centro, Dawis Norte, and Dawis Sur.
As of April 15, the 30 LGUs yet to be released SAP funds were the following:
* Capiz – Pontevedra, Ivisan, Maayon, Pilar, Dao, Cuartero, President Roxas, Dumalag, Jamindan, Panit-an, Pan-ay, Sapi-an, Sigma, and New Washington
* Aklan – Batan, Numancia, Madalag, Malay, Ibajay, Nabas, Altavas, Banga, Leso, Malinao, Libacao, and Kalibo
* Guimaras – Nueva Valencia
* Antique – San Jose
* Iloilo – Carles, Pavia
“Ginapangabay gid namon ining LGUs nga dasig-dasigon or coordinate diri sa DSWD para mahatagan kahigayunan ang aton pumoluyo sa inyo nga banwa nga makabaton sang assistance,” said Peñaflor./PN
