The city government here will be adopting strategies to fully release the PHP475, 290,000 allocation under the Special Amelioration Program (SAP) to their intended beneficiaries.
In an interview, Teresa Gelogo, in-charge of the field and program operations of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), said as of Thursday, 18, 994 beneficiaries from 109 barangays have received their SAP aid, which is equivalent to PHP113,964,000 at PHP6,000 per recipient.
“We have a balance of PHP361 million, more or less,” she said. Iloilo City has 79, 215 target beneficiaries in 180 barangays.
She said that Thursday is supposed to be the deadline but they have requested an extension from Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año but have no idea yet if how many of the seven days they have requested will be granted.
In his regular press conference on Thursday, Mayor Jerry Treñas said that he met with DILG Iloilo City Director Roy Delfin, and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and CSWDO officers where they discussed the distribution of SAP.
He said they hope to hasten the distribution with the additional strategy that they will be adopting.
These include the conduct of the distribution in just one venue, which is at the Freedom Grandstand, and to allow additional city hall employees to make cash advance.
The city government will provide vehicles to transport beneficiaries from their barangays to the venue and back. It will also ensure that social distancing is observed.
“As much as possible, we will try to observe all the necessary protocol,” he said.
He said that the city government will be working on the “assumption that it (distribution) will be extended”.
Gelogo, meantime, said they will also be adding personnel to handle the distribution and documentation.
(PNA)
