How to avail Php5,000 to Php8,000 from the Social Amelioration Program

The Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon and other parts of the country has left many Filipinos jobless for the time being. This also means that these families do not have any source of income for their basic needs.

In order to address this pressing issue, the government has allotted Php210 billion budget to support 18 million low-income families nationwide.

Through the social amelioration program under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in cooperation with other departments such as but not limited to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), vulnerable families will receive aid both in cash and in kind amounting from Php5,000 to Php8,000 depending on where they live.

READ: How much should you receive from the Social Amelioration Program?

Who are eligible to receive the Social Amelioration Program?

According to Joint Memorandum Circular No.1 , the primary target of the said amelioration program are poor families or those in the informal sector who do not have any means of income during the ECQ, with at least one household member who is part of the following:

1.) Senior Citizens
2.) Persons with Disability
3.) Pregnant and Lactating Women
4.) Solo Parents
5.) Overseas Filipinos Workers who no longer have work because they were repatriated or banned from traveling outside of the Philippines because of COVID-19 crisis
6.) Indigent Indigenous People
7.) Homeless Citizens and Underprivileged Sector are those who live below poverty line or those without a house to live
8.) Informal Economy Workers

• Occasional Workers (e.g. labandera)
• Subcontracted Workers (e.g. pakyaw workers)
• Homeworkers (e.g. workers in family business such as crafts making, food processing, etc.);
• Househelpers – who are not currently earning or cannot work because of the ECQ (e.g. kasambahay, family driver)
• Pedicab, UVs, Tricycle, PUJs, Taxi, PUBs, Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) and Transport Network Companies (TNC) drivers (also includes Grab, Angkas, Joyride riders and such)
• micro-business and Sari-sari Store owners, and other similar business with asset less than Php10,000
• Small Family Business Owners (e.g. vegetable or fruit vendors, streets vendors, RTW, carinderia, etc.)
• Sub Minimum Wage Earners  (e.g. helpers in carinderia, sari-sari store)
• Farm workers and Fisherfolks (e.g. magsasaka, mangingisda etc)
• “no work, no pay” employees
• Stranded workers (e.g. construction workers stranded in their respective construction site/s).

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How to avail the Social Amelioration Program?

1.) Social amelioration cards (SAC) will be distributed by the Local Government Unit (LGU) to qualified households. This will be given on a house-to-house setup.

2.) Provide all information asked in the SAC. Make sure to include all details needed.

3.) Submit the SAC to the assigned LGU officer who will go to your house.

4.) DSWD will provide the financial assistance through the LGU.

May the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries avail the Social Amelioration Program?

Yes, beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), may avail the social amelioration program, non-food aids and food packs on top of their benefits in 4Ps.

If you have questions, you may call DSWD hotline number 8-951-2803.