MALATE, MANILA— To further ensure that the emergency subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) goes to qualified families, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) MIMAROPA created a Client Support Team (CST) to address SAP grievance reports from the region.

With the Client Support System (CSS), queries, clarifications and complaints regarding the implementation of SAP are filed and acted on by the CST. Grievance hotlines, email and Facebook messenger were utilized to make it easier for citizens to send in their messages to DSWD MIMAROPA CST.

On April 16, 2020, CST received an email from a concerned citizen of Barangay Lumangbayan, Baco, Oriental Mindoro reporting the unjust system of the distribution of Social Amelioration Program cash grants to unqualified individuals. CST immediately forwarded the reported allegations to the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) of Baco for further investigation. Mr. Ar Jay Z. Aceveda, MSWD Officer, responded by ensuring that a validation and further investigation will be conducted.

Social workers conducted a home visit to the alleged unqualified beneficiaries, and as reported. CST investigated the profiles of the individuals and found out that only two of the six alleged unqualified beneficiaries are qualified to receive the emergency subsidy.

On the other hand, on April 27, 2020, CST received a complaint of how a number of qualified beneficiaries in Barangay Batongbuhay, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro were not included in the list of SAP beneficiaries. CST immediately coordinated with the MSWDO to look into the matter.

On May 9, 2020 the same person who filed the complaint sent an email to DSWD MIMAROPA expressing her gratitude for the fast action as the qualified beneficiaries from their barangay rightfully received the emergency subsidy under SAP.

The provision of the Social Amelioration Program of the department states that the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized sectors of the society should be prioritized. Qualified beneficiaries should be families whose income are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The LGU is tasked to identify qualified beneficiaries, thus, if any LGU official gives cash grants to ineligible beneficiaries, they will be subjected to investigation.

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