DILG XII Regional Director Josephine Cabrido-Leysa, CESO III assured the public that the Department is doing extra to assist LGUs fast-track the financial aid distribution to deserving beneficiaries of the Region.
RD Leysa’s statement came in the light of the extension given by the Department of the Interior and Local Government for the distribution of the first tranche of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) until May 10 as local government units (LGUs) pleaded for more time to complete the task.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said numerous reports from DILG field offices reached his office relaying the LGUs’ difficulty in distributing financial aid despite working 24/7, especially in areas with high density population like Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Bulacan, Cebu, and Davao City. These challenges prompted the Department to extend the SAP payout anew.
The plea for the additional three-day extension to complete the payout came from the League of Cities of the Philippines, League of Municipalities of the Philippines, and Metro Manila Development Authority requested, Sec. Ano said.
Año warned LGUs that the latest extension is the last for “our people cannot wait any longer.” LGUs who will fail to complete the SAP payout within the extended deadline will receive show cause orders from the Department.
Meanwhile, Dir. Leysa reported that based on the released data by DILG Central Office on May 6, 8 PM, Region XII ranked 5th among the regions with the highest number of SAP payout nationwide. The Region recorded an accomplishment rate of 85.59% with 33 LGUs completing the SAP payout. Nine hundred eighty five (935) LGUs nationwide have successfully completed their SAP distribution with a total accomplishment rate of 77.68%, DILG Central Office confirmed.
CARAGA was the first region to achieve 100% SAP accomplishment rate, followed by Bicol Region (99.51%), CAR Region (89.26%), and Ilocos Region (86.36%).
“These are clear indications that the Department wants to distribute the financial aid at the soonest possible time. In this case, any delay in the distribution of financial aid is also like being denied of this monetary assistance,” Dir. Leysa added.
