After completing distribution of the first tranche of cash aid under the social amelioration program in June, Malacañang vowed that the second wave of distribution would be faster, as it would be done electronically.
That was not the case, as Palace spokesman Harry Roque on Monday admitted that distribution under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) so far had been slow.
“Mabagal po talaga, masasabi ko po na nabagalan din ang Palasyo sa proseso ng pangalawang tranche,” he told reporters in a Palace briefing.
Latest data showed that only 3.2 million out of the targeted 18 million families eligible for the aid have received the financial assistance so far.
“Maraming dahilan po ang sinasabi ng DSWD pero tinatanggap ho namin ang deklarasyon ng DSWD na hindi matatapos ang July na hindi maibibigay ang kabuuan ng ayuda maliban doon sa mga walang access sa internet. Iwan na lang po natin doon,” he added.
Malacañang gave the go signal to distribute the second tranche of the cash aid last May 25.
In a congressional hearing on July 16, Social Welfare Undersecretary Danilo Pamonag said the department was targeting to finish distribution of the second tranche by end-July.
He said the delays were due to mobility and transportation issues, and that the department hoped to complete the distribution through a combination of digital and direct payouts.
The cash aid is P5,000 to P8,000 per month for two months to eligible families whose sources of income were halted by the Covid-19 pandemic. John Ezekiel J. Hirro