ENGLISH VERSION
MANILA, Philippines — Like millions of Filipinos nationwide, Rosemarie Reontare’s life was disrupted when the country was placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in mid-March as the government tried to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rosemarie has been unemployed for two years since she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and tagged with partial disability. Her husband worked as a construction helper in 2019 but did not have any employment since January 2020.
Things were looking up for Rosemarie in March. She had been reselling beauty products online, and started a new job as an artisan perfumer in a distribution company. But then, the country was placed into ECQ.
“I was really looking forward to working again, to paying my contributions, and to updating my status from PWD to Abled Citizen. For someone like me who’s only starting to get back on my feet, it was quite depressing. Especially since I was informed that the company I started working in would permanently close. I have nothing to go back to after the quarantines are lifted,” Rosemarie said in Filipino.
During the ECQ, Rosemarie and her husband had to borrow money to make ends meet. They didn’t have any online sales, and were both unemployed. “There were times when we didn’t have any food or when we had to put seasoning on rice so it would taste better. I can really relate to those who have no food,” Rosemarie noted.
Thankfully, help came.
SAP support
Rosemarie’s husband was included in the list of beneficiaries who were allotted cash aid in the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) social amelioration program (SAP).
Rosemarie’s husband filled up the SAC form, and went to the nearby purok to submit it. He was assisted by a barangay kagawad to complete his requirements. Like many others, he had to endure long lines to receive his cash aid when it was released on May 7.
While thankful for the aid, Rosemarie said it added to the fear her husband gets whenever he goes out of the house. The long lines and various interactions her husband experienced in claiming SAP exposed him to possible infections. Afraid of bringing home the virus, the couple practiced social distancing even at home whenever one of them showed any symptoms of COVID-19.
This is why Rosemarie and her husband are thankful that, for the second tranche of the government’s SAP, they can use ReliefAgad.
Expedited support
ReliefAgad was launched in May 14, 2020 as a joint effort by the DSWD, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Developers Connect Philippines (DEVCON), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/ E-PESO. ReliefAgad aims to expedite the release of subsidy for the 2nd tranche of SAP in the qualified areas, as well as for additional beneficiaries. Since its launch, more than 2.1 million beneficiaries have already signed up in the app.
The website caters to the needs of both government agencies and beneficiaries. For local government units (LGUs), it improves data collection and lessens the need to gather residents physically for aid distribution. The data collected also goes straight to the DSWD’s database, and makes it easier for the department to verify the beneficiaries list.
For beneficiaries like Rosemarie, it lessens the need for them to go out and manually fill up forms and claim their aid. “I learned about ReliefAgad via word of mouth. We used it immediately and found that it is user friendly. We found the home page easy to navigate, and to put our information,” Rosemarie noted.
For DEVCON CEO Winston Damarillo, ReliefAgad shows that technology can improve social programs, especially given the tech savvy population of the Philippines.
“All you need is a smartphone and Internet connection to register for SAP. For those without those, they can borrow from friends or loved ones so they can register. Just make sure that the mobile number you put in is yours so only you can view your one time pin (OTP). All information submitted via ReliefAgad will be verified by the DSWD and the respective LGUs, so only those eligible will receive aid,” Damarillo noted.
Digital payments are the way to go
Meanwhile, USAID/EPESO encouraged beneficiaries to open transaction accounts (bank accounts or e-wallets) or activate their dormant accounts before signing up with ReliefAgad. Signing up in the app would require beneficiaries to have active accounts to nominate where they’d like to receive their aid. Beneficiaries will be unable to change their account details after signing up.
Using their transaction accounts, beneficiaries can receive payments, pay bills, send money, buy load, or buy essentials conveniently even from their mobile phones. It is also a good way to save money. Aside from being the fastest, most affordable and safest way to receive aid from the government, opening a transaction account will facilitate saving money and set beneficiaries on their way to cultivating financial management skills.
Rosemarie opened a digital wallet so she can register it at ReliefAgad. She never used a digital wallet before the ECQ but she said she found the light.
“I had been a victim of online scams and bank fraud before so I had a distrust of online banking. Cyber security was my main concern in signing up with ReliefAgad. But so far, it has been a convenient process. I am looking forward to receiving our SAP aid in our nominated digital wallet. I know this is a positive step towards showing transparency and lessening corruption since the money would go straight to my account,” she added.
Rosemarie used the first tranche of SAP they received to pay for the debts they incurred during the lockdown. She is looking forward to the second tranche so that they can use it as capital to start their business.
“We’re very thankful for the government’s initiative to send help to the most vulnerable sectors. We don’t desire to be a continuous burden to the government. We want to be productive members of society. We hope we can get a cash grant that we can use to increase our capital,” Rosemarie noted.
DSWD announced earlier that the second tranche of SAP would be released starting June 15, pending the liquidation and verification processes of LGUs. Beneficiaries in the National Capital Region, Region 3 (except Aurora Province), Region IV-A, Benguet Province, Pangasinan, Iloilo Province, Cebu Province, Bacolod City, Davao City, Albay Province, and Zamboanga City are eligible for the 2nd tranche.
With this, Damarillo encouraged DSWD field offices and local government units to continue promoting ReliefAgad to beneficiaries in their constituency.
“ReliefAgad is the fastest and safest way we can collect and process data, and send cash aid for the second tranche of SAP. We should take advantage of such digital technologies to increase paperless transactions, ensuring that all our frontliners and beneficiaries won’t face the risk of getting COVID-19,” Damarillo noted. ###
Developers Connect Philippines (DEVCON) is a non-profit organization which aims to promote the Filipino IT talent by providing a unique venue for IT students, educators, professionals, and enthusiasts to sync, support, and succeed. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, DEVCON convened DEVCON Community of Technology Partners (DCTX), a community of over 1,000 Filipino software developer-volunteers around the world, to come up with technology solutions. They developed the RapidPass system which provided authorized individuals to pass through checkpoints using a QR code. The same organizations developed ReliefAgad.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) / E-PESO Project. USAID/E-PESO is a project funded by the USAID that aims to assist the Philippine government transition the economy from cash/checks to electronic payments for broader-based economic growth and financial inclusion. USAID/E-PESO is currently providing technical assistance to DSWD to integrate financial inclusion in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) by transitioning its cash cards to transaction accounts and developing a comprehensive financial literacy program. USAID/ E-PESO develops digital instructional and training materials for the rollout and provides electronic payments expertise, quality assurance, technical and system support to operate ReliefAgad.
FILIPINO VERSION
Para sa mga benepisyaryo ng SAP, ang ReliefAgad ay ligtas at maginhawang gamitin
MANILA, Pilipinas — Katulad ng milyon milyong Pilipino sa buong bansa, naantala ang buhay ni Rosemaria Reontare noong mailagay sa Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) ang buong bansa noong Marso, isang hakbang na ginawa ng gobyerno para maitigil ang pagkalat ng COVID-19.
Dalawang taon nang walang trabaho si Rosemarie dahil siya ay nasuri na may bipolar disorder at naka-tag bilang may partial disability. Ang kanyang asawa naman ay dating tumutulong sa construction noong 2019 pero nawalan din ng trabaho ng Enero ngayong taon.
Nagsisimula na sanang umayos ang buhay nila Rosemarie noong Marso. Nakakapagbenta siya ng mga produktong pampaganda online at nakapagsimula na rin ng bagong trabaho bilang isang artisan perfumer sa isang kumpanya. Ngunit biglang nailagay sa ECQ ang bansa.
“Minimithi ko pa namang magtrabaho ulit para makapagbayad ng mga kontribusyon at para mabago ang aking estado mula PWD sa pagiging Abled Citizen. Para sa katulad ko na nagssisimula palang bumangon, nakaka-depress talaga. Nalaman ko rin kamakailan na tuluyan nang magsasara ang aking pinagtrabahuan. Wala na akong babalikan pagkatapos ng quarantine,” ani ni Rosemarie.
Noong ECQ, kinailangan ni Rosemarie at ng kanyang asawa na umutang para makaraos sa pang-araw araw na pangangailangan. Wala siyang nabebenta online at wala rin silang parehong trabaho. “May mga panahon talaga na wala kaming makain o nilagyan na lang namin ng seasoning ang kanin para magkalasa. Alam ko ang dinadanas ng mga walang makain,” dagdag ni Rosemari.
Buti na lang at nahatiran sila ng ayuda.
Suporta galing SAP
Naisama ang asawa ni Rosemarie sa listahan ng mga makakatanggap ng unang bahagi ng social amelioration program (SAP) ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Agad agad na pinunan ng asawa ni Rosemarie ang SAC form at pumunta sa kalapit na purok upang isumite ito. Tinulungan siya ng mga barangay kagawad upang makumpleto ang kanyang mga kinakailangan.Tulad ng maraming mga benepisyaryo, pumila ang asawa ni Rosemarie ng mahaba para matanggap ang kanyang ayuda na ibinigay noong ika-7 ng Mayo.
Nagpapasalamat ng lubos si Rosemarie sa natanggap nilang ayuda. Gayunpaman, inaamin niyang nakadagdag ito sa takot na nararamdaman ng kaniyang asawa kapag lumalabas ito ng bahay. Ang mahahabang pila at mga pakikipag-ugnayan ng kaniyang asawa sa maraming tao sa pagkuha ng ayuda ng SAP ay naglantad dito sa posibilidad na makakuha ito ng COVID-19. Takot ang asawa ni Rosemarie na maiuwi nito ang sakit kung kaya naman nag-social distancing ang mag-asawa kahit sa loob ng bahay.
Dahil dito, nagpapasalamat talaga si Rosemarie at ang kaniyang asawa na meron nang ReliefAgad sa pangalawang bahagi ng SAP.
Pinabilis na ayuda
Ang ReliefAgad ay inilungsad noong ika-14 ng Mayo bilang pinagsama-samang proyekto ng DSWD, ng Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), ng Developers Connect Philippines (DEVCON), at ng United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/ EPESO. Sa pamamagitan ng ReliefAgad, mapapabilis ang pamimigay ng ayuda sa pangalawang bahagi ng SAP para sa mga kuwalipikadong mga lugar at mga karagdagang benepisyaryo. Simula noong ito ay nailungsad, nasa 2.1 milyong benepisyaryo na ang nagpasa ng detalye sa app.
Ang plataporma ng ReliefAgad ay nakakatulong sa parehong mga ahensiya ng gobyerno at mga benepisyaryo. Para sa mga lokal na pamahalaan, isinasaayos nito ang pangongolekta ng datos at binabawasan din ang pangangailangang tipunin ang mga residente para sa pisikal na pamimigay ng ayuda. Ang nakolektang datos ng ReliefAgad ay dumidiretso din sa database ng DSWD at pinapadali ang kanilang pagbe-beripika sa mga listahan.
Para sa mga benepisyaryong tulad ni Rosemarie, binabawasan nito ang pangangailangang lumabas at manu-manong punan ang mga porme at kolektahin ang ayuda. “Natutunan ko ang ReliefAgad mula sa kuwento ng isang kaibigan. Ginamit agad namin ito at nalaman kong napakadaling gamitin. Madali lang punan ang mga nakalagay dito,” ani ni Rosemarie.
Para kay DEVCON CEO Winston Damarillo na siyang namuno sa paggawa ng app, ipinapakita ng ReliefAgad na kayang pabutihin ng teknolohiya ang mga programa ng gobyerno — lalo na dahil magaling sa teknolohiya ang mga Pilipino.
“Ang kailangan mo lang ay isang smartphone at Internet connection para makarehistro sa SAP. Para sa mga walang ganoon, puwdeng humiram sa kanilang mga kaibigan o mga mahal sa buhay. Siguraduhin lamang na ang ilalagay mong mobile number at sa iyo at na ikaw lang din ang makakakita ng one-time pin (OTP). Ang lahat ng impormasyon na isinumite sa ReliefAgad ay beberipikahin ng DSWD at ng mga lokal na pamahalaan upang ang mga nasa lisatah lang ang makatanggap ng ayuda,” dagdag ni Damarillo.
Gumamit ng digital payments
Samantala, hinimok naman ng USAID/ EPESO ang mga benepisyaryo ng SAP na magbukas ng mga transaction accounts (accounts sa banko o mga e-wallet) o buhayin ulit ang kanilang mga natutulog na accounts bago magrehistro sa ReliefAgad. Ito ay dahil kailangan ng aktibong accounts ng mga benepisyaryo upang makatanggap ng ayuda at upang mailagay sa ReliefAgad. Hindi na papayagang baguhin ang mga detalye na naipasa sa ReliefAgad matapos itong maisumite.
“Gamit ang kanilang mga transaction accounts, maaring makatanggap ng bayad, magbayad ng bills, magpadala ng pera, bumili ng cellphone load at bumili ng mga kinakailangan ang mga tao. Magagamit din ang transaction accounts sa pagiipon ng pera. Ang transaction accounts ang pinakaligtas at pinakamabilis na paraan na makakatanggap ng ayuda ang mga tao mula sa gobyerno,” ani ni USAID/ EPESO Chief of Party Mamerto Tangonan.
Si Rosemarie ay nagbukas ng digital wallet upang makapag rehistro siya sa ReliefAgad. Ani niya, hindi siya gumagamit ng digital wallet bago ang ECQ. Pero siya ay nagbagong loob na.
“Nabiktima kasi ako dati ng mga online scams at bank fraud kung kaya hindi ako nagtitiwala sa online banking. Ang cyber security ang pinakamalaki kong kinakabahala noong gumamit ako ng ReliefAgad. Pero sa ngayon, maginhawa naman ang proseso. Naghihintay akong makatanggap ng SAP sa aming inilagay na digital wallet. Positibong hakbang ito para mas transparent ang gobyerno at mawawala ang korupsyon kasi diretso sa account ko ang pera,” dagdag ni Rosemarie.
Ginamit ng mag-asawa ang kanilang natanggap na unang bahagi ng ayuda ng SAP upang ipambayad sa mga pinagkautangan noong ECQ. Sila ngayon ay umaasang makatanggap ng pangalawang bahagi ng ayuda upang simulan muli ang kanyang negosyo.
“Nagpapasalamat talaga kami sa mga proyekto ng gobyerno na magpadala ng tulong sa mga pinaka-mahihina sa lipunan. Ayaw naman namin na maging pabigat sa gobyerno habang buhay. Gusto naming magin produktibong mga mamamayan. Sana ay makatanggap kami ng ayuda para maidagdag ito sa capital pang negosyo,” ani ni Rosemarie.
Inanunsyo ng DSWD na ang pangalawang bahagi ng SAP ay magsisimulang maipamigay sa ika-15 ng Hunyo. Ngunit, hinihintay pa rin ang liquidation at pagbeberipika ng mga lokal na pamahalaan. Ang mga benepisyaryong makakatanggap ng panagalawang bahagi ng ayuda ay manggagaling sa National Capital Region, Rehiyon 3 (maliban sa probinsya ng Aurora), Rehiyon IV-A, Probinsya ng Benguet, Pangasinan, Probinsiya ng Iloilo, Probinsiya ng Cebu, Bacolod City, Davao City, Probinsiya ng Albay, at Zamboanga City.
Para kay Damarillo, habang naghihintay, ang mga DSWD field offices at lokal na pamahalaan ay dapat patuloy na isulong ang paggamit ng ReliefAgad sa mga benepisyaryo sa kanilang mga lugar.
“Ang ReliefAgad ay ang pinakamabilis at pinaka-ligtas na paraan upang makuha ang mga kailangang datos at upang maipamigay ang ayuda sa pangalawang bahagi ng SAP. Kailangan gamitin ang mga ganitong teknolohiya upang hindi na kailanganin ang manu-manong mga transakyon at para mabawasan na rin ang panganib na magka-COVID-19 ang ating mga frontliners at mga benepisyaryo,” dagdag ni Damarillo. ###
Developers Connect Philippines (DEVCON) is a non-profit organization which aims to promote the Filipino IT talent by providing a unique venue for IT students, educators, professionals, and enthusiasts to sync, support, and succeed. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, DEVCON convened DEVCON Community of Technology Partners (DCTX), a community of over 1,000 Filipino software developer-volunteers around the world, to come up with technology solutions. They developed the RapidPass system which provided authorized individuals to pass through checkpoints using a QR code. The same organizations developed ReliefAgad.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) / E-PESO Project. USAID/E-PESO is a project funded by the USAID that aims to assist the Philippine government transition the economy from cash/checks to electronic payments for broader-based economic growth and financial inclusion. USAID/E-PESO is currently providing technical assistance to DSWD to integrate financial inclusion in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) by transitioning its cash cards to transaction accounts and developing a comprehensive financial literacy program. USAID/ E-PESO develops digital instructional and training materials for the rollout and provides electronic payments expertise, quality assurance, technical and system support to operate ReliefAgad.
