A BREWING petition at Barangay Pinget calls for a transparent distribution of the now contested Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
Dated April 7, the petition has been circulating in the barangay asking officials to implement the SAP in good faith.
The petition states “we observe that certain deserving individuals are being denied for reasons beyond their inability or indecency. For which reason we likewise petition our elected officials to conduct fair and actual validation on ground so that each resident is assessed based on their current or prevailing situation. May we invite our Social Worker who should assist in the validation to look into this concern as well.”
The petition, addressed to Betty Fangasan of the Office of the City Social Welfare and Development Office [OCSWDO] through Pablo Sawi, Pinget village chief.
In response to the Pinget petition, Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong in turn asked for truthfulness from the barangay to answer the sentiments of petitioners.
“Maging truthful lang at objective and all will be given the SAP, there is enough for all,” the mayor said.
The chief executive said politicking and personal interest does not have any place in health emergency the city is facing.
Magalong assured an OCSWADO representative will be stationed in each barangay to help validate SAP recipients.
Petitioners lamented “The supposed validation which is conducted only inside premises of the barangay hall will result to guess work and favoritism. Surely, this is not what the program of the national government is meant for or how the guidelines it has likewise issued is to be executed,” adding they are one with our public officials in the hope of helping those very well in need, but we hope that in the process of giving help all stand equal and treated fairly in a system that is transparent.
In city, there are around 45,000 families of the city’s 93,000 total households stand to benefit from the SAP since the city was given an allocation of P247 million for the program by the national government.
According to Pinget petitioners, their sentiments are grounded a clear understanding that any or all amount to be release are in favor of those qualified pursuant to guidelines releases by the National government.
“To avoid unnecessary suspicion of corruption by the general public may we call on our officials to be transparent as to the true and correct guidelines being used in order to determine the beneficiaries of the program in our barangay with a notice to the public stating and explaining the said guidelines could very well satisfy doubts as to whether the beneficiaries are indeed qualified or are selected fairly or that everyone qualified is given at the very least the opportunity to receive if only the amount allotted is sufficient.”