Pasil shows efficient method in Kalinga SAP distribution

  PASIL, Kalinga – A scheme set up by the local government of this remote town resulted to efficient distribution of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) to its beneficiaries.

Mayor Alfredo Malannag Jr. said all the 1,014 beneficiaries in  the 14 barangays listed under the Department of Social Welfare and Development -led SAP were given their share accounting for 100% SAP subsidy distribution, the  first local government unit to do so in the province and the third in the Cordillera region.

“Distribution should have been completed last April 18, however, unavoidable circumstances delayed it to three days”, Malannag said mentioning security and politics as among the challenges.

He narrated that before the downloading of their SAP allocation, the LGU already organized a joint task force composed of the municipal LGU, barangay, civil society organization, non-government organization, and barangay health workers. The task force was divided into three teams to fast track the distribution with the active participation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police.

“The requirements were done ahead. Every barangay was assessed on who are the poorest of the poor. A dry run was carried out in one barangay to know possible scenarios for appropriate response,” the Mayor explained.

A system cum one-stop-shop was set for clustered barangays setting six steps for recipients to follow - from filling up of the Social Amelioration Card form, barangay LGU certification, payroll, cash, photo documentation, and grievance desk.  The process became easy and orderly since based on the dry run, other barangays learned on how to address problems during their turn of the distribution adding that beneficiaries in some barangays were organized before the team arrived. 

The names of SAP recipients in every barangay were posted for transparency.

On the challenges encountered in the SAP distribution, he noted that there were some barangays whose officials were not present to help during the distribution and of residents not showing concern. 

“We have to apply maximum tolerance on these petty problems,” the mayor said as he made special mention of barangay Pugong as the most disciplined. 

Malannag informed that in adherence to his administration’s governance principle that “no one should be left behind during times of crisis,” the LGU is working out to give the same subsidy to another 500 additional poor families not covered by the SAP. (JDP/PAB-PIA CAR, Kalinga)