A number of Narra applicants for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Social Amelioration Program (SAP) aired their grievances regarding the “removal” of their names from the list of beneficiaries for the P5000 cash assistance.
One applicant, who requested for anonymity in fear of reprisal from local barangay officials and staff program lamented how her daughter was “removed” from the list of eligible applicants.
“Kasama na ‘yung anak ko sa listahan at payroll, tinanggal pa din. May pinapagatas naman at single mom. Gusto ko lang sana maintindihan,” she said.
Another resident, a 58-year old senior citizen, with no stable income and lives alone in her house with schooling grandchildren stressed how she wasted hours to fall in line, expecting that she will received P5000 cash assistance amidst the present pandemic crisis.
“Sana maaga palang sinabi na na natanggal pala ako sa listahan para hindi na ako pumila ng matagal. Alam naman ng lahat, ang kasama ko sa bahay apong nag-aaral. Ang mga anak ko, kanya-kanya nang lugar,” the source, who also requested for anonymity said.
The local Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) of Narra on Friday, April 18, addressed these complaints by applicants.
In an interview with Elizabeth Cubillas, focal person of the local social welfare office, she said that a list of reasons steamed up, from the lack of time in preparation, insufficient funds to cater the huge volume of applicants, misgiving of social amelioration cards to the right beneficiaries and applicants who did not declare their true financial status and capacity.
“May mga disallowed talaga diyan. Ito ‘yung mga naka-payroll na pero as per verification, hindi pala talaga sila eligible,” Cubillas said.
“Ang reality, umpisa palang, may orientation. Sinabi sakanila kung sino sa kanila ang puwedeng bigyan,” she added.
Cubillas also stressed that the program is intended and is prioritizing vulnerable members of the society, particularly households who belong to the low-income bracket of the community, in manner of which, those household who presently have a PWD member, a lactating mother, a senior citizen who isn’t a pensioner, and those who cannot work because of the lockdown.
“More na tinutokan ng amelioration is ‘yung mga severely affected like ‘yung dahil sa kwarantina,” Cubillas said.
‘’Yung household na may buntis, household na may PWD, mahirap na household. Maraming mahirap. Pero sa DSWD, ‘yung mahirap na may marginalized member. Mahirap na household na may buntis, lactating mothers, may senior, puwede,” she said.
For senior citizens, however, according to Cubillas, it is imperative that in order to be an eligible beneficiary, a senior citizen must not be a regular monthly pensioner.
She also said in order to be considered, each household should not have any member who works for the government or any private company, whether be appointee or not.
“Isa-isahin mo ‘yang mga inclusions. Kapag government officials, appointed employee, may financial capacity, ibig sabihin ‘yung obvious na may mga trabaho government man o pribado. Tapos ‘yung mga pensiyonado na may monthly income. So kahit senior citizen ‘yun, hindi pa rin siya kasama dahil may regular ang income niya,” Cubillas said.
Cubillas also cited some cases where applicants who are financially stable declared false information on their cards.
“Government employees, mga may kaya na nagdi-declare na mahirap sila. Kasi sa verification mo lang talaga mailalabas ‘yan kasi ‘yung SAC or card natin, ini-encode lang ‘yan ng ini-encode ayon sa laman. So ‘yung declaration nila doon at nakasulat, ‘yun lang din ang ini-encode tapos pagdating ng assessment, lalabas na mahirap sila so nakasama sila sa payroll. Tapos undergo ulit ng verification, doon mo na makikita,” Cubillas said.
Cubillas also said that those who did not pass their final verification are endorsed to their grievance section for revalidation and assessment in order to have a chance to be a candidate for the program once again.
Once the grievance committee receives the form of the applicant, they will revalidate the case and forward it to the national office. Once the national office receives it, they will create another master list to send back to their lower offices, according to Cubillas.
“Nag payroll na kami sa lahat ng eligible na inakala namin na eligible kasi nag-based kami sa pag fill-up nila kagaya noong isang case, housewife pala siya pero nilagay niyang income P6000, pag ganoon, sa grievance namin nilalagay. Balik ka uli. Iri-revalidate sila kasi minamaster list uli,” Cubillas said.
“Sa ngayon, sa mga hindi nakasama talaga, ang grievance ang paraan na sana ma-include sila sa susunod na pagbaba ng pondo. Depende lang ‘yan sa national kasi ima-master list mo na naman ‘yan,” she said.
Cubillas also said that she understands where the complains of the applicants come from. She also added that the payout will have another batch and the program will go on until May. Lastly, she pleads for public understanding.
“Naiintindihan din natin ang tao, kasi siyempre panahon ng krisis at sa bugso ng damdamin at saka nais mo matulongan ka din. Pero ‘yun din ang nais namin na ipa-intindi sa kanila, kulang din ang pondo at pinagkakasya talaga,” Cubillas said.
“May kasunod pa, first transaction pa lang ito. Hindi pa naman tapos, hanggang Mayo pa ito,” she said.
Overall, based in the data published by the DSWD MIMAROPA office recently, the municipality of Narra has a total of 8,563 identified eligible beneficiaries with a total SAP fund of P42.8M.
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