“I have already accepted the fact that I will never receive any cash assistance like the SAP from the government anymore, but thanks God, ECOWEB made a way.” said Evangeline Biadnes, 52, resident of Barangay Upper Hinaplanon, Iligan City.
Millions of Filipinos are still hopeful to be included in the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) cash assistance. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) explained that those who are waitlisted may have had incomplete information causing their disqualification. Others are not qualified based on the provided guidelines and eligibility.
Locals of Iligan City lose hope upon knowing that the city will not be covered by the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program due to the implementation of Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) last September 2020.
ECOWEB, as a vehicle to pursuing common good and interest, the organization adheres to the advocacy of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) which is to serve all deserving Filipinos with the amelioration and emergency subsidy program.
After NAPC determined the need to continue the program, it headed the collection of data with the help of its nexus of local partners like ECOWEB.
To note, ECOWEB submitted 4,258 consolidated list of potential SAP beneficiaries to NAPC. This was gathered and justified through their COVID-19 program accountability and online monitoring tool as well as ECOWEB’s daily feedbacking survey and COVID-19 tracking design in which concerted efforts and tasking of staffs, volunteers, community leaders and local partners in various areas of the Philippines were systematized.
Generally, it caters beneficiaries to areas in Lanao del Norte with 3,435 beneficiaries; 176 from Lanao del Sur; 580 from Agusan del Norte; 56 from Binangonan, Rizal; two from Maguindanao and one from each of the following areas: Quezon Province, Negros Occidental, Misamis Oriental, La Union, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Cavite and Benguet.
Meanwhile, in ECOWEB’s main operational areas, a total of 3,178 beneficiaries from Iligan City, Kapatagan and Pantao Ragat, Lanao del Norte, were endorsed to the DSWD Region 10 field office.
However, the number undergone the process of deduplication and were submitted to the barangay local government unit for verification. Out of the abovementioned figure, there are only 1,040 beneficiaries who will receive the cash assistance as a result of thorough and rigid validation which identify them as eligible recipients and ready for certification.
For the record, there are 995 beneficiaries from Iligan City; one from Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte and 44 from Pantao Ragat, Lanao del Norte. The pay-out of the three areas was scheduled first week of November.
SAP distribution at Iligan City
Evangeline Biadnes accepts the fact that she will no longer be granted with the said assistance. She is living with his husband, a motorcycle driver, who survived from a motorcycle accident causing his intestine operated. The couple solely depends on Evangeline’s sister for monetary assistance but fears of being buried in dept.
“I never thought that I would still avail the SAP. But, I am beyond blessed to be included in ECOWEB’s effort of SAP provision to deserving people. I used the money to pay debt to my sister, pay our electric and water bills, and buy groceries especially one sack of rice.” she said.
Jeanalyn Sagal, 28, from Upper Hinaplanon, Iligan City, and a mother of 4-year and 3-month old kids has been struggling during this time of pandemic. Her husband, a fast-food crew, is affected by this since the company only allows them to work three to four hours a day paying him 180 pesos only. With the 6,000 pesos that the family received from SAP, she uttered,
“I immediately bought milk and diapers for my babies, and a sack of rice and groceries. Most of all, I kept a portion for my mini business which is selling peanut rolls. I gain Php 100 pesos per day with this and I keep the business rolling so that somehow I have something to rely on with our daily needs.”
Dennis Cabili, 55, a resident of barangay Santiago, Iligan City, never expected to receive cash assistance. With her is her younger sibling who is suffering from bone tuberculosis. The medicine is given by the city’s public hospital for free but the life struggle still persists as she needs to keep themselves fed to live.
“My salary from house-keeping is not enough to sustain our daily needs. I have to take care of my sibling at all cost since our parents passed away already. I was so thankful for the Php 6,000 I received and we get to see another hopeful days ahead of us.” she ended.
With the amount received, she was able to buy a sack of rice, canned goods, noodles, and some medicines which are not given for free by the hospital. She gladly shared that she is planning to start her street food business using the cash aid.
“I’m glad that I was able to buy school supplies for my children who are in their modular class.” said Dennis Gallon, 33 years old, a resident of barangay Tipanoy, Iligan City, and a father of 3 children.
Dennis’s family has no source of income since the pandemic. He just depends on being an on-call baker in a bakeshop in the community. The family cannot solely depend on this irregular job.
The family received 6,000 pesos and they immediately purchased a sack of rice, groceries, and payment for electricity. Like any other resilient people, the family started their own business which is selling eggs. Neighbors are their starting customers. Dennis and his family are pursuing to make the business grow and be formally established soon.
All enlisted beneficiaries from different barangays in Iligan City received their SAP cash assistance last November 5, 2020 at Iligan City Public Plaza through the CSWD.
SAP distribution at Pantao Ragat, Lanao del Norte
After being devastated by the Marawi siege, these women are now confronted with the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon having validated to be part of the SAP listing, they anticipate help coming from the government.
From the municipality of Pantao Ragat, Lanao del Norte is Sohaila Masbod. A 24-year old mother of 3-year old and 2-year old children. During the first tranche of SAP, this family was never informed that there are listing and validation on-going. She claimed that since she’s an IDP, maybe she’s not eligible for inclusion.
“With the Php 6,000 I received, aside from buying essential needs like milk, rice, and medicines, I started my banana cue business which helps my family to strive from day-to-day life.”
Amid pandemic ECOWEB sees the importance of providing just and fair service to everyone. In today’s time, people need to secure not only their daily needs but also essentials for safety against sickness.
Norhanah Palawan, a 34-year old resident of barangay Calawe, Pantao Ragat, and a mother of 2-year and 1-year old kids expressed her gladness and she thought she would not be served with the program. Her husband is directly affected by the pandemic because he is a corn and vegetables laborer. Markets limit from buying farm-produced products affecting laborers and their families.
Norhanah’s family was excluded from SAP because of the difficulty of accessing vehicle going to the municipal hall. They live distant to the hall and SAP validation needs back and forth every time information from them is needed.
“I am so glad and thankful to have handed with Php 6,000 cash assistance. I bought one sack of rice, milk, multivitamins, alcohol and face mask. I also secured medicines for my children since one of them got fever and the other has colds. Aside from those, I separated Php 1,500 for my pancake and rice cake business. In this way, I have a remembrance from the SAP assistance.”
The Process on the Program’s Progress
ECOWEB withstands with its mission to continue on building partnerships and empowering communities including its commitment on complementary actions and supporting initiatives to government programs that assist millions of Filipinos who are heavily affected by the current health crisis.
The COVID-19 global outbreak has made an entire paradigm shift not just to the economic sector but the entire social systems. Through this, ECOWEB ensures that it will be more dedicated to take bigger steps in overcoming the appeal from people on the ground.
Regina Salvador-Antequisa, Executive Director of ECOWEB and Sectoral Representative of National Anti-Poverty Commission – Victims of Disasters and Calamities (NAPC-VDC) has made stronger movement to address the current situation of the distribution of financial assistance under the amelioration program.
With the available resources, Antequisa along with various local partners and the organization per se have seen capacities from the local actors and leaders in the community to gather potential beneficiaries who can be waitlisted for the next tranche and take the lead to be the bridges of a lifetime commitment – to be of service for the humanity.
With the support of CORDAID to ECOWEB to its project on preventing transmission of COVID-19 and reducing the impact of the virus and effect of the community quarantine to vulnerable communities, it has designed an activity to convene a set of women community volunteers who are tasked to collect and gather data of non-SAP recipients from their respective areas.
Also, ECOWEB staffs have collectively executed their efforts to support the volunteers and validated the list of non-SAP recipients for them to receive the next tranche of cash assistance distribution.
The whole process was difficult to handle as it involves a lot of phone call interviews, profiling, community visits, repetitive validation, and rapid conduct of surveys and assessments with limited resources.
However, with the effectivity of coordination and proactive measures, it observed productive organization to organization communication and complementation of local actors to government agencies. It has ensured a reasonable phasing to push through the collection and verification of non-SAP recipient data. This was functional as it fast-tracked the assistance and reached those who have not received it and who mostly need it.
Lastly, NAPC together with ECOWEB continuously hope to cover more Filipinos who definitely deserve to receive the government’s cash assistance. It is with high hopes that during this trying time, everyone receives equal access to opportunities, goods, and services especially those that are provided by the government in which people deserve to get. (Photos from community volunteers)
