Aid money drying up Daily Tribune​ - Published 2 days ago on April 27, 2020 12:07 AM By ​Hananeel Bordey Photo credit: Facebook page — Department of Social Welfare and Development @dswdserves As a result of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and other hotbeds of the coronavirus disease 2019 being stretched until 15 May, relief money is about to run out, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rolando Bautista said. Bautista, on Sunday, indicated that funds for the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) given to the country’s poor is fast being depleted and the remaining resources will have to be distributed only to those who badly needed assistance. Under SAP, the government distributed P8,000 to each poor family in Metro Manila and P5,000 per household in the provinces. “The implementation of the SAP only to beneficiaries in ECQ areas is in consideration with the budget availability,” he said. Bautista referred to the statements of Department of Finance (DoF) Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Wendel Avisado during a recent briefing led by President Rodrigo Duterte where both officials said only P45 billion remains of available funds after the government spent P352.7 billion for SAP in the ECQ’s initial one-and-a-half month scheduled to end 30 April. Only in ECQ areas “The bottomline there is really the budget intended for the succeeding days of the quarantine period is running short,” Bautista said. Under the new directive announced by the government, ECQ will be retained until mid-May in Metro Manila, Benguet, Pangasinan, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Albay and Catanduanes, Davao del Norte and Davao City. Areas which have low or moderate COVID-19 risks such as Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Sultan Kudarat at Lanao del Sur, will be under a new category called general community quarantine (GCQ). Priority on missed beneficiaries The remaining funds will be used mainly for areas still under ECQ, Bautista added. “With the new development right now, the SAP implementation will be within the ECQ areas. Those who were not given in the first month covering beneficiaries nationwide, will be provided assistance,” Bautista explained. “Of course, some of the amount will be given, in priority, to those in ECQ areas,” the DSWD head added. Filipinos who are qualified but were bypassed in the first month of the SAP distribution will get their financial package, according to Bautista. “In fact, some of the local government units have already provided the list of those who were not given on the first month of the SAP. We told them that this list will be forwarded to the DSWD,” he added. Return of jobs considered Bautista said the government believes that economic activities in areas under GCQ will be restarted. “This was the subject of discussion among different agencies particularly economic planners such as the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Transportation. The way I see it is they will ensure that economic activities or commerce will continue,” he noted. “With that, chances are those who are employed will be able to continue their work and earn an amount intended for their families,” he added. Bautista said members of the interagency technical working group on SAP has convened to discuss formulating guidelines relative to Roque’s pronouncement. “These guidelines have to be presented to the interagency task force on infectious disease of course for their approval,” he added. Rody has blanket authority The Senate, meanwhile, said a measure to provide the government to supplement the budget this year is no longer needed as President Duterte has available authority to realign government funds under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on Sunday a supplemental budget is not needed as the Chief Executive can augment funds from the national government agencies to fund the government’s response against COVID-19 health crisis. The Senate chief elaborated that the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act did not specify any amount as it aims to give the President a free hand to do what is necessary to address the health crisis. “We gave the President a large elbow room through the special powers given to him and the Executive department through the Bayanihan Act,” he explained. DBM head Avisado said the Palace is only allowed to move around P397 billion from the capital outlay of different national government agencies. Of the said amount, P352 billion were already utilized. DoF’s Dominguez explained that the government has sufficient cash but strict provisions on state spending limits the amount that can be used.” https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2020/04/27/aid-money-drying-up/ Subjects : Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Social Amelioration Program (SAP),Financial Assistance .