DSWD probes 31,000 SAP duplicate beneficiaries in Western Visayas

ILOILO CITY—The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Region 6 (DSWD-6) is probing the inclusion of 31,000 families in Western Visayas region who are believed to have received double cash aid intended to help those affected by the strict lockdown.

DSWD-6 Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre said the agency was still verifying the alleged number of duplicates for the first tranche of cash aid distribution under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

In an online press conference, Macapobre noted that the second tranche of SAP distribution has been delayed because DSWD has to countercheck the list from the first tranche, which started last April.

“SAP beneficiaries should only receive once, but we have already found out that there were families who received twice,”

Macapobre noted.

For instance, Macapobre said some family beneficiaries knowingly received numerous SAP cash aid by processing in two different municipalities.

There were also those heads of families who received separate cash aid from Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Agriculture (DA) or Social Security System (SSS).

Aside from the duplicity check, only 119 local government units (LGUs) have submitted liquidation report for SAP’s first tranche in the region comprising of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental provinces as well as the highly urbanized cities of Iloilo and Bacolod.

Macapobre said the remaining 14 LGUs in the region that failed to submit their liquidation reports for SAP’s first tranche were affecting the conduct of duplicity check.