DILG On Over 2,000 SAP Complaints: Barangay Officials Put Family and Political Allies First

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) have received more than 2,000 complaints against barangay officials on the distribution of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

The SAP is a cash emergency subsidy program (ESP) for 18 million Filipino families whose lives are greatly affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). It’s mandated by the new law, the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act, which was signed by the President last March 25, 2020.

DILG Undersecretary Martin Diño revealed that the complaints they received involved barangay officials prioritizing family, relatives, and political allies in the SAP distribution, reported PhilStar.com.

Other complaints include barangays asking for processing fees before handing them the cash aid and dividing the cash aid to more than one family. Each family qualified to receive SAP can receive at least Php5,000 up to Php8,000 per month for two months for basic food, medicine, and toiletries.

“Warning to the (barangay) captain: Those are public funds, and there is accountability,” Diño said in Filipino in an interview on DZBB.

“Not only will you be removed from your position, [but also] you will be imprisoned. The punishment will be severe,” the local government undersecretary stressed.

The initial deadline for local government units (LGUs) to distribute the SAP to their constituents is on April 30, 2020. But the DILG extended the deadline until May 7 for some LGUs that have yet to finish the first wave of SAP distribution. The second wave should start this May.

How to submit a complaint or make an appeal regarding SAP

The SAP is headed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development ( DSWD), and it has set up a grievance and appeal mechanism for concerns and appeals for the SAP.

Submit your complaint or appeal with your respective Local Social Welfare and Development Offices (LSWDOs). It should be submitted within three days from the day your barangay started distributing SAP cash assistance. The LSWDO will submit the consolidated requests to the concerned DSWD Field Office for evaluation within three days.

You can also submit SAP complaints and appeals via the DSWD Central Office-Operations Center through its 24/7 hotline number 16545. You can also call mobile numbers for Globe, 09162471194; Smart, 09474822864; and Sun, 09329333251. The DSWD Central Office-Operations Center will forward the reports to concerned DSWD offices for validation and investigation.

All DSWD offices that received forwarded SAP grievances are required to respond to reports within 24 hours after receiving them.

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