The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is hopeful to complete the second tranche of the social amelioration program (SAP) by the end of September.

“Sa loob ng kasalukuyang buwan po matatapos ang pamimigay ng ayuda (We are looking to finish the distribution by this month),” DSWD Undersecretary Rene Glen Paje said during the agency’s virtual conference on Thursday.

As of September 2, the agency has accounted for the payouts to some 13.7 million family beneficiaries worth PHP82 billion.

The figure includes some 169, 139 transport network vehicle and public utility vehicle drivers in the National Capital Region (NCR) who were among the heavily affected sector by the government’s lockdown measures.

In other areas declared as under the enhanced community quarantine, there are 46,616 that received the aid.

Paje said this is 94 percent of their target beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, there are still families that have yet to receive aid from the DSWD.

Paje assured that the qualified beneficiaries will get their financial assistance from the government as the fund is already transferred to their financial service partners (FSPs).

“Hintayin nyo na lang po natin ang mensahe galing sa inyong naka assign na FSP kung kailan at saan ninyo kukunin ang ayuda (Let us just wait for the instruction from your assigned FSP to know when and where to get your cash aid),” he added.

The “Bayanihan to Heal As One” Act has given the national government powers to provide emergency subsidies to low-income families.

The Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1 of 2020 stated that the subsidy shall amount to a minimum of PHP5,000 to a maximum of PHP8,000 a month for two months to provide for basic food, medicine and toiletries. (PNA)