Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 19) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development said it will assess the need for additional funding to accommodate qualified families not included in the list of cash aid beneficiaries.
The pending evaluation comes amid reports that some supposed recipients of the social amelioration program have not been given financial assistance due to the department’s outdated database of target beneficiaries.
DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said local government units will be instructed to submit a consolidated list of eligible families, which will then be subject to assessment.
“We will collect their names, we will get the numbers,” Bautista told CNN Philippines. “Those who will not be able to receive—or eligible target beneficiaries—will form part of a database that will be studied by our economic managers… if it necessitates additional budget.”
Under the program, ₱5,000 to ₱8,000 per family will be given to vulnerable sectors of society as cash assistance during the coronavirus crisis. The sectors include low-income families, homeless persons, and workers in informal sectors, among others.
Earlier, the DSWD had eased procedures to fast-track the distribution of the funds to families.
Under the amended guidelines, the government will now check the qualification oof beneficiaries after they have received the aid. Previously, LGUs had to first submit a validated list before funds were given to them.
According to Bautista, ₱73.114 billion out of the ₱81 billion social amelioration fund was already transferred to the LGUs as of April 19.
