Palace: Additional 5 million low-income families to receive cash aid from gov’t

(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the inclusion of five million low-income families as beneficiaries of the government’s Social Amelioration Program.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Tuesday, May 12, the five million were apart from the 18 million families who were identified as recipients of the monthly cash aid of P5,000 to 8,000 for two months under the SAP.

Roque said, however, that the second tranche will only cover poor households in areas under an enhanced community quarantine until May 15.

Earlier, the Department of the Interior and Local Government set the deadline for the distribution of the first tranche of the cash aid to April 30, but this was later extended to the final deadline of May 10.

In a public address aired on Tuesday, May 12, President Rodrigo Duterte said he has ordered Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista to tap soldiers for the distribution of the cash aid.