SAP 2 distribution to start soon

INTERIOR Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday gave assurances that the distribution of the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) would begin soon.

“Ba stat his May makakapagrelease nat a yo at makakap ag simula narinng distribution( Within the month of May, we will start the distribution),” Año said in a television interview.

Five million families left out in the first distribution would be given priority, he said.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development will start the downloading of funds this month, Año bared.

He proposed that instead of designating distribution points, social workers assisted by policemen or soldiers would go house to house to give the aid.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government claimed that the national payout rate for SAP was 97 percent because some local government units did not complete the distribution of the cash aid.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines vowed to help in the distribution of the financial assistance to

poor families.

The military identified problematic areas where troops would be needed. These are areas where anomalies have been reported; isolated villages and areas where threat groups can prevent the orderly distribution of SAP, according to Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesman.

President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to jail officials involved in anomalies in connection with the distribution of the cash aid.

In his public address aired over state-run PTV4 late Tuesday night, Duterte said he would be unforgiving of erring local officials who “mess” with the funds intended for poor families struggling amid the pandemic.