The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Mimaropa said that as of April 16, 2020, there are identified 411,074 families regionwide that will receive cash subsidies under Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
The SAP is intended for estimated 18 million Filipinos nationwide who are considered as most affected by coronavirus disease (Covid)-19. The beneficiaries are senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, solo parents, OFWs (distress at repatriated), indigenous people, homeless, farmers, fisherfolks, self-employed, informal settlers, and those under No Work-No Pay arrangements (e.g., drivers, househelp, construction workers, etc.).
“Ang Social Amelioration Program (SAP) ay para sa mga mahihirap na pamilya lamang na higit na-apektuhan ng krisis. Ito ay hindi para sa lahat ng pamilya. Malinaw na nakasaad sa batas na ito ay para lamang sa mga mahihirap na nasa impormal na sektor at nawalan ng pagkakakitaan dahil sa Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ)”, the DSWD said in a statement.
In Palawan, including Puerto Princesa City, there are total of 114,126 families identified as qualified to benefit SAP. The DSWD has allocated some P570.6-million for these 114,126 families.
In Puerto Princesa City, the amount of P181.8-million has been earmarked for the identified 36,376 families.
In the Province of Palawan, the municipality of Narra has the highest number of beneficiaries that reached 8,563 families. Narra was followed by Roxas and Brooke’s Point with 6,416 and 6,360 families respectively. The DSWD has allocated P42.8-million for Narra, P32-million for Roxas and P31.8 Million for Brooke’s Point.
The municipality with the lowest number of beneficiaries is Cagayancillo with only 520 identified families-beneficiaries, which the DSWD has allocated some P2.6-million.
Initially, as of April 8, 2020, the DSWD Mimaropa downloaded P1.1-billion to the different local government units (LGUs) in the region intended for P5thousand cash assistance to the initially identified 233,443 beneficiaries regionwide under the Social Amelioration Program. The DSWD in a statement said that as of April 8, 2020, they have downloaded a total of P1,167,215,000 for the Provinces of Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon and Marinduque.