DSWD SLP beneficiaries paying it forward in this time of crisis
Jomark Janer of Candijay, Bohol returns his SAP cash assistance because he says his wife also received the aid and others may also need more this cash aid.
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic might have brought suffering to the low-income families but some have risen above this crisis, as they provide assistance to frontliners in their own ways.
These people with generous hearts include beneficiaries of the DSWD Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) .
Read more: Central Visayas SLPAs turning crisis into opportunity
In Cebu, three SLP beneficiaries have given various assistance to frontliners. The beneficiaries showing generosity are the Lahug Sto. Niño Rag Production SLPA, the Mabugnao Kamputhaw Distributor SLPA in Cebu City, and the Tipolo Pantawid Sustainable Livelihood Program Water Service Cooperative,
The Lahug Sto. Niño Rag Production SLPA donated 3,000 pieces of cloth rags while the Mabugnao Kamputhaw Distributor SLPA turned over 60 packs of powder detergent products to the University of San Carlos (USC) Crisis Response Team.
Brenette Abrenica, USC COVID-19 Crisis Response Operations coordinator, said these would be donated to Sitio Zapatera and the Cebu City Jail, where positive cases of COVID-19 had been recorded, so the residents and inmates could clean up their spaces and help limit further contamination.
On the other hand, the Tipolo Pantawid Sustainable Livelihood Program Water Service Cooperative has been offering free water refill since March 22, 2020 to the members of barangay tanod and community watch groups who serve as frontliners in Barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City.
Rosana Santillan, president of the cooperative, said that they wanted to show their gratitude to the frontliners for their service of guarding and protecting their area.
Another SLP beneficiary, the San Vicente Centro Macaas Association, provides free pandesal to the frontliners in Barangay Macaas,Tubigon Bohol.
According to the operation manager, Michelle Muñez, the daily distribution of pandesal, which started on April 14, 2020, was their way of giving back to the residents for regularly buying the association’s products
Earlier, other SLP groups have also extended food packs to non-members who also need assistance.
Some DSWD beneficiaries had also returned the emergency cash subsidy they received under the Social Amelioration Program because their spouses had already received the financial assistance.
According to DSWD-7, Jomark Janer from Candijay, Bohol returned the emergency cash subsidy his family received from the Social Amelioration Program to DSWD so that another family will benefit from the subsidy of the government.
Janer was quoted as saying that he gave back the P6,000 because his wife had already received assistance through Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
Leah Quintana, DSWD-7 regional information officer, during a Facebook presser noted that despite the difficulties encountered, many people still showed their good values.
Meanwhile, total assistance paid to 262,541 family-beneficiaries in Central Visayas have reached P1,575,246,000 as of noon on April 27, according to DSWD-7. The amount released represents 24.83 percent of the region’s total SAP allocation.
Among Central Visayas province, Bohol is nearly halfway through. It has paid out P478.65 million to 79,775 families, representing around 44 percent of the province’s total SAP allocation placed at 1,090,260,000.
Negros Oriental’s payout for 96,354 families reached P578.124 million while Siquijor has paid P46.29 million to 7,715 families. Negros Oriental and Siquijor have released 38.54 percent and 28.31 percent, respectively, of their total allocation.
On the other hand, Cebu has released P472.182 million, representing 13.16 percent of its total allocation, to 78,697 families./dbs
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