MANILA – Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon is pushing for the continuation of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) distribution until next year as there seems to be no end in sight yet to the coronavirus pandemic.
Drilon said it was disappointing that the proposed 2021 budget for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) conditional cash transfer program has been reduced.
From its current funding of P108 billion, DSWD was only allotted P100 billion for cash assistance to poor families, according to Drilon.
“Dapat ipagpatuloy ang SAP dahil dumami ang pamilya na mas mahirap ngayon dahil sa pandemic. Poverty is more prevalent today,” Drilon said in an interview over radio DWIZ.
“Sa akin, tugunan kaagad by direct government assistance dahil iyan ay deretso ang tulong sa tao,” he added. “Sa pamamagitan ng SAP matugunan ang gutom. Ang pangangailangan ngayon ay ang kawalan ng pagkain.”
SAP involves cash aid ranging from P5,000 to P8,000 to the virus-hit families. The budget for its implementation was stated in the Bayanihan 1 and 2 laws passed for the crisis.
Senators earlier questioned the lower budget given to the DSWD for next year, specifically for its Unconditional Cash Transfer program, which include the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program for indigent families.
During the Senate briefing with economic managers on the 2021 national budget, Budget secretary Wendel Avisado said the SAP was excluded from the government spending plan to focus on the economy./PN
