FALSE: P57-B ‘balance’ in DSWD subsidy even if all families get coronavirus cash aid

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FALSE: P57-B ‘balance’ in DSWD subsidy even if all families get coronavirus cash aid
The computation used here does not consider that the P200-billion emergency subsidy covers two months and is given only to the target 18 million low-income families

Claim: Even if the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) gives all families in the country their allotted amount as part of the government’s emergency subsidy – worth a total of P200 billion – in light of the coronavirus pandemic, there would still be P57 billion to spare.

This is – according to a text post going around Facebook as early as April 11 – even after all 22 million families in the country receive P6,500, the median amount in the P5,000-P8,000 range for the cash aid.

This computation is used to support the claim’s argument that the DSWD is “humahadlang sa P200 billion funds para sa mga tao” (blocking the P200 billion fund meant for the people) and “pipiliin lang” (selecting) only who will get the funds under the emergency subsidy program.

Mayaman, mahirap, middle class families, lahat po yan most affected. Pero ang interpretation ng DSWD eh iba, pipiliin lang daw po,” said the text post. (Rich, poor, middle class families, all of them are most affected. But DSWD’s interpretation is different, they’ll be choosing who will receive assistance.)

One such post has been shared around 11,000 times and received 3,500 reactions and 2,400 comments as of writing, according to Facebook’s Claim Check dashboard. A reader also sent a post containing the same text post to the Fact-checking in the Philippines Facebook group for verification.

Rating: FALSE

The facts: The computation used to arrive at the claim does not consider that the P200-billion emergency subsidy covers two months and is only given to the target 18 million low-income families, as outlined in Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

Section 4(c) of the law states that the President is authorized to “provide an emergency subsidy to around 18 million low income households, provided that the subsidy shall amount to a minimum of P5,000 to a maximum of P8,000 a month for two months.” The subsidy given to families will be “based on the prevailing regional minimum wage rates.”

Qualified families can get between P10,000 and P16,000. (READ: Paano maaaring tumanggap ng tulong mula sa emergency subsidy program ng DSWD?)

The government’s third report to Congress has a per-region breakdown of these 18 million families. (See also how much each region gets in this TRACKER: DSWD assistance during coronavirus crisis)

Using the target number of families and the subsidy amount per region as listed in Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, the total emergency subsidy for two months could reach up to P213.81 billion.

Region Target Families Subsidy Amount
(in pesos)
Total (for 2 months)
NCR 1,788,604 8,000 28,617,664,000
CAR 318,707 5,500 3,505,777,000
I 999,531 5,500 10,994,841,000
II 698,042 5,500 7,678,462,000
III 1,807,929 6,500 23,503,077,000
IV-A 2,249,567 6,500 29,244,371,000
Mimaropa 614,100 5,000 6,141,000,000
V 1,146,914 5,000 11,469,140,000
VI 1,472,683 6,000 17,672,196,000
VII 1,346,613 6,000 16,159,356,000
VIII 875,246 5,000 8,752,460,000
IX 721,841 5,000 7,218,410,000
X 892,577 6,000 10,710,924,000
XI 953,521 6,000 11,442,252,000
XII 953,853 5,000 9,538,530,000
CARAGA 492,758 5,000 6,236,070,000
BARMM 623,607 5,000 4,927,580,000
GRAND TOTAL 17,956,093 P213,812,110,000

The DSWD on April 7 responded to criticisms that they are implementing a “quota system” in the distribution of the funds. DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao on Tuesday clarified that the department follows “an indicative number of target beneficiaries.”

However, on April 9, the DSWD admitted it had gaps and shortcomings in distributing the emergency subsidy. – Michael Bueza/Rappler.com

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