Manila completes 93% of SAP distribution 

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said about 93 percent of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) beneficiaries in the city have received their cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Moreno reported in a virtual public briefing that as of 7 a.m., a total of 171,961 families were already given P8,000 out of 185,000 who are set to receive the said financial aid.

The DSWD allotted P1.4 billion to be distributed to the city’s poorest of the poor, according to Moreno.

“We follow the directive of the President na wala dapat politiko na makiki-alam o mag-i-interfere sa proseso ng DSWD [that no politician will interfere with the process of the DSWD],” he said, adding that the local government instead helped the agency identify areas where families had been greatly affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.

Moreno expressed confidence that they would meet the deadline to finish the distribution without violating social distancing measures. He also assured the public that officials neglecting their duties and committing anomalies would be charged accordingly.

This came after 46 Manila barangay officials were issued show cause order by the city government over alleged irregularities in their food distribution.

“Yung tatlo po ini-imbestigahan na ng kapulisyahan… Yung dalawa, umaandar na ng tuloy tuloy. Out of 46 naman, 27 pa lang yung nag-reply at nag-paliwanag. At yung natitira ay binibigyan pa ng hanggang ngayong araw na ‘to para sila’y makapagpaliwanag [Three of them are already under police investigation. Two are also being investigated. Out of 46, 27 barangay officials have replied to our letter and explained, while the rest have been given until today to explain],” he said.