March 28, 2024

People adversely affected by the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic will continue to receive financial subsidy from the government through the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Under the Bayanihan We Recover as One Act, DSWD-Cordillera Director Leo Quintilla said the government allocated funds as a response to the pandemic. 

The subsidy will be the same amount given during the first and second tranches of the Social Amelioration Program.

For the Cordillera, the subsidy will amount to P5,500.

Quintilla said only those who have been validated by the DSWD to belong to the “poorest of the poor” in areas declared under granulated lockdown will be given a subsidy.

Granulated lockdown is implemented only in a certain purok, barangay, or household for contact tracing and containment purposes. He said those who were able to avail of the SAP in the past could not avail of the same if the area where they live is not declared under a lockdown. 

There are two ways to avail of the subsidy. First is to inform the local social welfare and development office for assessment, especially if they are not in the list of SAP beneficiaries and second is referral by the LSWDO or the barangay. After assessment, the LSWDO will prepare a certificate of eligibility and refer the same to the local Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for its concurrence.

Quintilla said a resolution of concurrence from the local IATF and a certificate of eligibility are among the documents that need to be submitted to avail of the subsidy.

He said the subsidy may only be availed if the granular lockdown is declared from Sept. 13 onwards – the date when the Bayanihan 2 took effect.

Quintilla said the DSWD is also assessing suggestions for the most practical way of releasing the subsidies.

“We are just waiting for the guidelines. The Bayanihan 2 contains several modes such as through food stubs, cash payout, electronic money transfer, or digital payout,” Quintilla said.

“There were a lot of lessons learned in the release of these subsidies. All suggestions are being evaluated and we will consider these in the succeeding payouts,” Quintilla added. – Rimaliza A. Opiña