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A Proposal to Simplify and Fast-Track the Social Amelioration Program and Other Social Protection Measures
SOCIALWATCH PHILS·MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2020

Below is Social Watch Philippines’ position paper which proposes a way to simplify and fast-track the delivery of Social Amelioration Program (SAP) assistance to 18 million Filipino households, an urgent imperative in these times of rising deprivation and hunger among our people. We realize that the distribution of the SAP assistance will be most challenging; as such, we are presenting options for distribution for the government which we hope can be considered.

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SOCIAL WATCH PHILIPPINES
POSITION PAPER

A Proposal to Simplify and Fast-Track the Social Amelioration Program and Other Social Protection Measures

We are a network of civil society and community-based organizations that has consistently advocated for people-centered sustainable development.

We acknowledge and appreciate the hard work of the government, civic groups and other stakeholders, especially the front-liners, who are doing their best to serve our people in spite of the physical and mental dangers posed by the #COVID19PH crisis, and the constraints on various fronts.

We note the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on grassroots communities. There is a pressing need to equalize life’s opportunities and conditions for all, not as an act of charity but as matter of rights and entitlement. We are concerned about the growing lack of food and other essential needs among the most vulnerable – especially the informally employed who comprise over 80 percent of Filipino workers - who now have lost their sources of incomes due to the pandemic and enhanced quarantine. The delayed delivery of public assistance is raising the level of frustration among the impoverished communities.

Today, there is the urgent need for swift, decisive, and compassionate government action, and to contribute to this end, we in Social Watch Philippines offer our perspective, analysis and recommendations on social protection and, in particular, the #SocialAmeliorationProgram (SAP). These are the following:

1) Our country, where the majority are either poor or low-income earners, needs to adopt more universal approaches to complement the targeted (means tested) approach to identifying social assistance programs’ beneficiaries. While the targeted approach utilized in the past has its uses, reports on the ground from communities we work with indicate that implementation has proved limited in outreach (for example, significant exclusion errors as in the case of the 4Ps which only identify around 4.8 million or 21 percent of Filipino families as poor). Universal approaches provide a wider net of support to include people at the edge of poverty, and, by design, can better address situations of generalized insecurity and, as what we have today, a humanitarian crisis.

2) It is in this context that we welcome government’s announcement to provide assistance to 18 million Filipino households, which cover about 78 percent of all households in the country. We believe that this substantially higher figure of the number of poor families, better reflects the magnitude of poverty on the ground, and which has, in all likelihood, intensified under these circumstances. The main challenge now is how to distribute government assistance for these 18 million families.

3) The Social Amelioration Program (SAP) as currently designed is too slow, bureaucratic, and cumbersome. If poor families are to survive the pandemic on a day-to-day basis, we propose the simplification and fast-tracking of distribution of both the of cash and non-cash benefits.

4) Towards this end, we urge the government to explore utilizing a combination of the geographic and self-targeting approach in the implementation of SAP.

Geographic targeting starts with the assumption that all those living in impoverished or low-income communities are qualified and therefore should be provided assistance at the soonest possible time. We propose employing the geographic approach to all poor and low-income communities (e.g., in all third to sixth class municipalities). In doing so, there no need to conduct a means test or validation process per household (in these poor or low-income barangays), thereby expediting the provision of assistance.

The self-targeting approach will apply to those who approach government to request for assistance. In recognition of the wide and indiscriminate damage wrought by COVID-19 and in the spirit of civic service, it is suggested that the routine validation process of applicants be exercised with greater leniency. This will also fast-track service delivery.

In order to assist the pockets of poor families located in more upscale neighborhoods and individuals who may ‘fall through the cracks’ of the geographic and self-targeting approaches like the taong grasa, orphaned children roaming the streets, etc., the more narrow targeting approach can be used. Note, however, that here, targeting will be administratively easier because the government will be dealing with a smaller population size.

During this time of great insecurity and humanitarian crisis, we urge the government to seriously consider this proposal to employ these geographic and self-targeting approaches to SAP implementation for the following reasons:

a. It significantly reduces exclusion errors. Such errors can prove tragic in these times of great and urgent need, and can fuel dissatisfaction and social unrest;

b. It expedites the delivery of cash and non-cash assistance, again, an imperative in these times;

c. It is less administratively taxing on national and local administrative systems, which, it appears, are already overburdened and stretched to capacity;

d. It reduces patronage politics and ‘palakasan’ as all households in the community will be provided assistance;

e. It promotes the spirit of social cohesion and solidarity, especially at the community level, public values which are needed, now more than ever.

5) Other Important Issues:

a. According to the 2016 National Disability Prevalence Survey, about 12 percent of the population (or about 12 million Filipinos) have severe disabilities. The Philippine Coalition of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD) has crafted a position paper calling for a disability-inclusive response to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to address its negative impact on households with disabilities (see attachment). We enjoin the government to heed their petition;

b. Another vulnerable group needing special assistance are the elderly. According to the Coalition for Services of the Elderly (COSE), older persons (aged 60 years old and above) are at higher risk of severe illness and death from the corona virus. The Department of Health data as of March 30, 2020, showed that about 39 percent of infected individuals and 73% of deaths are older people. They are disproportionately affected considering that older people constitute only 8 percent of the country’s total population. Their vulnerability stems not only from the consequences of an aging body but also because of their generally poor economic well-being, a condition even before the quarantine. Thus, the SAP should include all families living with older persons regardless of the elderly’s economic and pension status, and prioritize older persons living with spouses only, those living alone and the homeless. Indigent senior citizens receiving the social pension program should also be included in the said measure. COSE also stressed that a day without older persons benefiting from earnings could result in depression and poorer health. As such, we entreat government to listen to the COSE recommendations outlined for the elderly;

c. There are about 14 to 17 million indigenous peoples (IPs) scattered around the various islands of the country needing support. Such assistance should not only be adequate, timely and effective, but also culturally appropriate;

d. It is also vital that workers in the formal sector are taken cared of. In this regard, we ask government to ensure that companies, specifically those that are financially stable, continue to provide adequate wages for their staff on a regular basis;

e. Local government units (LGUs) play a central role in the delivery of services to address the humanitarian crisis. However, we note the varying capacities and competence of LGUs. As such, in order to promote inter-LGU equity, we urge the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to monitor LGU performance, not only to check their compliance with current rules and regulations, but as importantly, to assist and capacitate weaker LGUs in the performance of their duties;

f. We believe that civil society has much to contribute in these times; as we remain in touch with grassroots communities we can assist in identifying families that have yet to receive assistance as well as help further sensitize government to the needs of the poor and socially excluded; we can also contribute to policy discussions on many societal issues making sure that ‘no one is left behind’ and help government promote transparency and accountability in its operations. As such, we propose the creation of a Monitoring and Evaluation Group composed of civil society and other stakeholders. This body shall help monitor and evaluate the implementation of SAP and other COVID-19--related social assistance programs.

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