SAN JOSE, Antique – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in this province is still waiting for the release of Social Amelioration Program (SAP) funds for 18,539 left out beneficiaries economically displaced due to coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
DSWD-Antique head Melrose Amaran said they were supposed to distribute the financial assistance of P6,000 each to the left out beneficiaries starting June 22 but the allocation was not yet downloaded to the province’s local government units.
“We do not know the reason why the amount for the left out SAP recipients was not downloaded,” she said.
The delay could be due to the lack of information provided by the target recipients in their Social Amelioration Card and duplication of names, she added.
On June 1, DSWD secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista, upon the directive of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, issued Memorandum Circular No. 14, series 2020 for the implementation of the emergency subsidy program for additional beneficiaries.
Here’s the number of left out Antique SAP beneficiaries by town:
* Culasi – 4,346
* Sibalom – 3,585
* Patnongon – 1,965
* Libertad – 1,701
* San Remigio – 1,596
* Pandan – 1030
* Bugasong – 803
* Hamtic – 568
* Lau-an – 504
* Tobias Fornier – 454
* Anini-y – 429
* Barbaza – 425
* Valderrama – 367
* Tibiao – 292
* Sebaste – 255
* Belison – 215
* San Jose – four
The island municipality of Caluya, meanwhile, has not reported any left out recipient.
Senior citizens who receive a monthly pension of below P6,000 are also included in the list of left out beneficiary.
Meanwhile, Gov. Rhodora Cadiao said she remains hopeful that this province would be included in the second tranche of the SAP as many Antiqueños displaced by COVID-19 still need financial support.
“We, in fact, have submitted a letter of appeal for Antique to be included in the SAP second tranche,” she said.
The letter of appeal was signed on June 2 and addressed to the DSWD and the Department of Interior and Local Government.
A total of 71,656 households from Antique were included in the first tranche released in April 2020.(With a report from PNA/PN)
