For those who believe they are eligible but have been excluded from the list of beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has set up a Grievance Redress System (GRS).
“The public is encouraged to voice out and report anomalies or irregularities in the delivery of SAP through the DSWD Grievance Redress System,” states Undersecretary Camilo Gudmalin in a virtual presser last April 20, as published in the DSWD website.
It can be recalled that Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act orders the provision of a subsidy to low-income families. Moreover, families who are not included in the list of beneficiaries may file an appeal with their respective Local Social Welfare and Development Offices (LSWDOs) within three days from the start of the distribution of SAP in their barangay. Moreover, the LSWDO will submit the consolidated appeals to the DSWD Field Office for evaluation within three days.
Moreover, in a social media post by DSWD, the agency enumerates the criteria for exclusion in the emergency subsidy according to the DSWD Omnibus Guidelines. Such criteria are the following: (a) Elected and appointed government officials such as permanent, contractual, casual, coterminous or personnel contracted (under Memorandum of Agreement, Cost of Service, Job Order, and other similar arrangement/s) in any National Government Agency (NGA), Government-owned and Controlled Corporation, Local Government Unit, and GOCC with original charter; (b) Employees in the private sector, or those in the formal economy, including those who are employees of GOCC without original charters, regardless of the existence of employee-employer relationship, and regardless of the fact that they are receiving salary or wage; (c) retired individuals who are receiving pension; (d) families with independent financial capacity consistent with the intent of RA 11469 to provide assistance to low income families.
In addition, grievances relevant to the SAP implementation will be managed by the DSWD Central Office Operations Center through its 24/7 hotline number 16545. The OpCen will receive complaints and ensure proper reporting to the concerned office for validation and/or investigation. The office is required to respond within 24 hours.
