The first batch of beneficiaries in Paranaque City on Wednesday got their financial assistance given by the national government to areas covered by the Enhanced Community Quarantine.
At least 1,800 residents received their respective P1,000 “ayuda” during the first cash payout in Barangay Vitalez.
Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the qualified beneficiaries are those who belong to low-income households and vulnerable sectors initially identified in the database of the city hall.
The local government used the existing databases from last year’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP) 1, 2, and waitlisted, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), and other identified beneficiaries per barangay in around 155,000 households in the city.
“We would like to express its sincerest gratitude to the national government for this timely and needed cash assistance for our constituents. This complemented our collective efforts to provide public service in this time of pandemic.” Olivarez said.
Social Worker and Development Secretary Rolando commended the city government for immediately responding to this directive and upholding the objectives of the Duterte administration to cascade the much-needed assistance to each affected sector.
In April last year, Parañaque was one of the pilot local government units for the distribution of the emergency subsidies under the government’s SAP, and this year’s cash aid run.
City business permit and licensing office chief Melanie Malaya announced the creation of a grievance and appeals committee who shall act and respond to any irregularities in the distribution or concerns from the beneficiaries.
Upon the orders of Olivarez, Malaya said a barangay and city-level grievance team has been formed led by the City Social Welfare and Development Office, Social Services Office, City Legal Office, and Data Protection Officer to oversee the distribution of the cash assistance.
She said the schedule for the remaining 15 barangays will commence in the next few days to meet the 15-day deadline set by the national government to finish the distribution of the cash assistance.