Local Government Units (LGUs) who have finished the emergency subsidy distribution bared the strategies they have implemented to be able to achieve fast and efficient implementation of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) in their respective localities.

With an 80.71% accomplishment on SAP region-wide, 13 LGUs have finished the distribution of the PhP 5,000.00 emergency subsidy to all their target beneficiaries. These LGUs are Abra de Ilog, Paluan and Rizal in Occidental Mindoro; Baco, Bansud, Gloria, Pinamalayan and San Teodoro in Oriental Mindoro; Busuanga, Cagayancillo, Linapacan and Magsasay in Palawan; and Santa Maria in Romblon.

Even with a whooping target of 12,734 families to be served, Pinamalayan LGU managed to finish the distribution of the emergency subsidy to the qualified beneficiaries on time. Mayor Aristeo Baldos cited their strict compliance to the SAP guidelines since day 1, “the timetable was strictly followed. We have also tapped our teachers to assist during the payout, granted overtime pay to our Municipal Social Welfare and Development staff, as well as from different LGU departments,” he shared.

Mayor German Rodegerio of Gloria also attributed their LGU’s successful SAP implementation to the efforts of the barangay captains and LGU departments. According to him, a screening committee was put up consisting of the Municipal Accountant, Planning Officer and other department heads to validate the initial list submitted by the barangays. Moreover, nine groups composed of a department head, two staff, one Pantawid Pamilya staff and two uniformed men facilitated the payouts which made the distribution faster and more efficient. “For the families who were not qualified under SAP, the LGU used the Bayanihan Grant from the National Government to distribute PhP 1,500.00 worth of relief goods to the 6,000 families who were not qualified under SAP,” Said Mayor Rodegerio.

“I’d like to give credit to our constituents who were very cooperative and understanding,” said Baco local chief executive Reynaldo Marco. He said that the cooperation of the public made it easier for the local government to implement the program. Mayor Marco also emphasized the close monitoring of volunteers during payout to ensure the smooth flow of the distribution.

The influx of complaints was inevitable and expected, because of this, LGU of Rizal, Occidental Mindoro set up a grievance redress system desk manned by staff from DSWD, MSDWO and barangay to address these complaints. According to Mayor Sonny Pablo, to fast track the payout, five tellers from the Municipal Treasurer’s Office were placed on each barangay.

Busuanga Mayor Elizabeth Cervantes also shared how the LGU handled complaints through an open forum held in barangays, “we also put up a Municipal Task force with three phone numbers to answer grievances from our constituents,” she said.

As an island Municipality with island sitios within the locality, LGU of Cagayancillo chartered pump boats to reach family beneficiaries in these sitios. “The LGU tapped the coastguard to assist us during the travel,” shared Mayor Sergio Tapalla.

As of writing, 335,952 family beneficiaries out of 416,246 have already received the emergency subsidy and the distribution for the remaining 80,294 families is expected to be done within the week.###