THE Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) in Bacolod City will start the "digital payout" of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) grant for the "left-out" families in the city today until August 9.
This was stressed by Pacita Tero, head of DSSD, after she held a meeting with barangay officials yesterday for the distribution of SAP for the "left-out" families or those who were not able to avail themselves of the first tranche of SAP in May.
Tero said they set a schedule for all the barangays to claim their cash assistance to the payout centers within their barangay.
" We have a schedule for each barangay from August 5 to August 9. They will be given a specific outlet or branch of the payout centers," she said.
Bacolod City has a total of 15, 049 left-out families and they will claim their cash assistance through the accredited payout centers like M Lhuillier, Cebuana Lhuillier, and Western Union.
The "digital payout" was earlier temporarily suspended because some of its personnel were exposed to coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients.
At least 10 of its personnel and another 10 personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Western Visayas underwent swab test.
Tero said some of its results were already released and it turned negative but, they were advised to finish the 14-day quarantine.
" We requested the DSWD personnel from other municipalities in Negros Occidental that already finished the "digital payout" to augment the SAP distribution in Bacolod City," she said.
The total amount for the left-out families is P180.5 million. Each of these families will receive a lump sum of P12,000, to cover the first P6,000 that they missed to receive previously and the remaining P6,000 for the second tranche of SAP.
To claim their cash assistance, Tero said the left-out family beneficiaries should bring their SAP form and photocopy of their valid identification cards.
She said the left-out beneficiaries should fill-up the form in the payout center and those who are unable to write can bring a companion to assist them in the payout center.
Tero reminded the left-out family beneficiaries to observe the health protocols in claiming their cash assistance to prevent the spread of Covid-19.