Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) urged beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) to use the cash grants to buy food and other essentials amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
In her visit to a number of municipalities in the region, DSWD Assistant Secretary for Specialized Programs Rhea Penaflor Penaflor continuously reminded the beneficiaries to use their cash aid to good use.
“They shall use the cash aid to buy their food, medicine important things while the enhanced community quarantine is still in effect,” she stressed.
The cash aid under Republic Act (RA) No. 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 a public health emergency.
In Region VI, the Social Amelioration Program grants, P6,000 cash aid to low-income families. The cash aid depends on each region’s minimum wage rate.
She stressed the cash aid shall not be spent on liquors or gambling activities. It will defeat the purpose of the government’s effort to cushion the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, cash aid should restore the capacity of the people to purchase basic food and other essential items during the duration of the quarantine.
Penaflor also made clear the cash aid shall not be used to repair houses. Beneficiaries should keep in mind the government’s intentions in providing them with the cash grants.
Target beneficiaries of the cash subsidies are those on subsistence economy or workers in the informal economy.
The cash subsidies will complement the effort of local government units which provides food packs or rice subsidies to the people. (via DSWD)
