The Department of the Interior and Local Government today reminded beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) last year in the NCR+ area that they have until tomorrow, May 15, to claim their 2021 Ayuda from their respective Local Government Units.

DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said that tomorrow is the deadline set by the DILG, DSWD and the DND for the distribution of Ayuda or financial assistance by the Local Government Units (LGU) as provided in Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, s. 2021.

The 2021 Ayuda is a P22.9 Billion financial assistance packaged ordered released by the President for distribution to low-income individuals in areas affected by Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) which is the Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal also known as NCR Plus. It consists of P1,000 per individual for a maximum of P4,000 per family.

Malaya said that despite repeated calls from the Local Government Units, some beneficiaries have yet to claim their ayuda. “Some of the beneficiaries may have gone home to the provinces or may have moved outside of NCR+ for whatever reason, but just the same they have until tomorrow to claim their Ayuda otherwise they would be deemed to have waived their emergency subsidy,” he said.

He added that after the May 15 deadline, the Local Government Units shall prepare a new payroll of beneficiaries affected by the ECQ in their respective communities utilizing the unclaimed funds.

“Under JMC 1A issued by Secretary Eduardo M. Año, Secretary Rolando Bautista and Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, the LGUs may use the unclaimed funds to prepare a supplemental list of other beneficiaries affected by the ECQ and distribute the same within 10 days,” he said.

He said that the LGU Grievance and Appeals Committees have until May 25, 2021 to act on all complaints and appeals referred to it including new issues arising from the supplemental payroll.

Some 28 Local Government Units have already completed their distribution of Ayuda, 2 days before the May 15 deadline. In the National Capital Region, the City of Manila has completed its distribution while 6 LGUs in Bulacan, 5 LGUs in Cavite, and 16 LGUs in Laguna.

As of yesterday, 90% of the P22.9 Billion Ayuda have been distributed to beneficiaries in the NCR Plus area amounting to P20.5 Billion consisting of some 22,915,422 individual beneficiaries.

Among those that have completed the distribution are Baliwag, Guiguinto, Pandi, Paombong, Plaridel, and San Rafeal in Bulacan, Tagaytay, Amadeo, Mendez, Naic, and Noveleta in Cavite, and Biñan, Cabuyao, San Pedro, Santa Rosa, Alaminos, Calauan, Famy, Magdalena, Nagcarlan, Paete, Pagsanjan, Pakil, Pila, Rizal, Santa Cruz, and Siniloan in Laguna.

Original Article at: https://dilg.gov.ph/news/DILG-SAP-beneficiaries-have-until-tomorrow-to-claim-their-2021-Ayuda/NC-2021-1089