KORONADAL CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) explained Wednesday the process to avail the central government’s Social Amelioration Measures (SAM) for residents severely affected by lockdown imposed by authorities to confront the new coronavirus.
Cezario Joel Espejo, DSWD-12 regional director, said SAM is aimed at helping the poor, including workers in the informal sector who live below subsistence levels and those in “no work, no pay” occupations. The target beneficiaries will receive various forms of assistance from the government.
The local government units will distribute door-to-door two copies of Social Amelioration Card (SAC) forms provided by the agency to qualified beneficiaries.
The head of the family, according to Dir. Espejo, will fill out all the necessary information in the form and must ensure to provide the documents needed.
Once completed, a barangay team representative will collect one copy of SAC to be submitted to local government units for consolidation and encoding in the municipality/city database before formally submitting at the DSWD Field Office. The remaining copy of SAC shall be kept by the family for reference and monitoring of authorities.
According to Dir. Espejo the DSWD will then review LGUs submitted documents – lists of beneficiaries, project proposal, signed memorandum of agreement, signed and notarized affidavit of undertaking, as well as the non-disclosure agreement – before making arrangement for fund transfer.
“Our LGUs will strategize how they will distribute the assistance to its constituents provided it strictly follows the social distancing protocols,” Dir. Espejo said, adding residents who have access to internet can also view video materials related to SAP information posted in DSWD official social media accounts.
Among those qualified for the SAP include the senior citizens, PWDs, pregnant women, solo parents, overseas Filipino in distress, indigenous peoples, homeless citizen, farmers, fishermen, self-employed, informal settlers, and employees affected by the “no work, no pay policy” such as PUV drivers, house helpers, construction workers, among others.
The beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program 4Ps are also included in the social amelioration program. (DSWD)