The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to innovate practices to improve its implementation of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

Through its Field Office in the Cordillera Administrative Region (FO CAR), the Department has implemented a call center-type of validation method to hasten the SAP post-validation process and to follow health and safety protocols.

The post-validation process includes cross matching of database among national government agencies providing assistance under the SAP. FO personnel are conducting one-on-one interviews to families in the provinces to confirm information listed in the Social Amelioration Cards (SAC).

‘We have arranged a validation center here in Baguio City being manned by DSWD FO CAR personnel. They do phone interviews to families who have received the 1st tranche. By having a call center set-up, we are able to check on the details while maintaining physical distancing. We are also able to immediately provide answers to queries and grievances received by our call center,” DSWD FO CAR OIC Regional Director Leo L. Quintilla said.

Aside from the name-matching process, DSWD FO CAR has also enabled the SAC Revalidation System (SACRevs) which determines the eligibility of families that are paid during the first tranche according to their income level, occupation, family composition, local government units (LGUs), and other government employees.

As of 15 June 2020, DSWD FO CAR has recorded around 299,896 families that have been provided with SAP. Of this number. 60,128 families belong to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and 239,768 families are non- 4Ps families.

The FO is prioritizing the validation of beneficiaries from Baguio City and Benguet Province which are included in the identified areas that remained to be under the Enhanced Community Quarantine as stated in Executive Order 112 series of 2020.

“Even though Benguet Province and Baguio City are the only areas that will receive the DSWD FO CAR will remain vigilant in the post-validation of beneficiaries in all areas in the region for us to protect the integrity of the program. We will not tolerate any form of corruption, fraud, or negligence concerning the implementation,” Director Quintilla said.

A total of 3,452 beneficiaries from Benguet Province and 5,461 beneficiaries from Baguio City are being validated by the FO CAR.

The Field Office also closely coordinates with local government units, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Philippine National Police for a smoother implementation of SAP in the region. ###