A total of 60,520 Zambaleño families have received their COVID-19 financial aid as of May 15, 2020.

After the implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) over Luzon and other areas due to the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), work except for frontline services was suspended. This has left workers who rely on daily earnings and those whose jobs cannot adjust to a work-from-home setup, dependent on the government's financial assistance.

With this and the passage of Republic Act No. 11469, otherwise known as the "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act of 2020", the National Government through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) intensified its response to most affected families and individuals of areas under the community quarantine, including the province of Zambales, by providing financial assistance amounting to Php 6,500.00 being given given per household.

The target beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) were low-income households or those in subsistence economy or workers in the informal economy, assessed to be most affected by the declaration given their existing life situations or circumstances.

In Zambales, a total of 60,888 were targeted as beneficiaries from across the province with a total of Php 395,772,000.00 fund allocation. As of May 15, 2020, five days after the last extension of the SAP distribution, 368 families were yet to receive their cash assistance in the municipalities of Castillejos, Iba and San Narciso. While the LGUs of Botolan, Cabangan, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, San Antonio, San Felipe, San Marcelino, Sta. Cruz and Subic have completed the distribution of the cash subsidies.

Below is the status of the distribution of cash subsidies per municipality as to the amount allocation, number of actual beneficiaries, actual amount of payout and date of payout completion:

No.	LGU	Allocated Amount	No. of Actual Beneficiaries paid	Actual Amount of Payout                   (to date)	Actual Date of Completion	Remarks
1	Botolan	36,946,000.00	5,684	36,946,000.00	May 12, 2020
2	Cabangan	14,339,000.00	2,206	14,339,000.00	May 7, 2020
3	Candelaria	17,355,000.00	2,670	17,355,000.00	May 4, 2020
4	Castillejos	49,296,000.00	7,286	47,359,000.00	Not yet completed
5	Iba	35,847,500.00	5,482	35,633,000.00	Not yet completed
6	Masinloc	32,136,000.00	4,944	32,136,000.00	May 4, 2020
7	Palauig	19,246,500.00	2,959	19,233,500.00	May 4, 2020	2 beneficiaries returned their SAP cash aids
8	San Antonio	25,408,500.00	3,909	25,408,500.00	May 6, 2020
9	San Felipe	15,210,000.00	2,340	15,210,000.00	May 06, 2020
10	San Marcelino	20,494,500.00	3,153	20,494,500.00	May 15, 2020
11	San Narciso	19,649,500.00	2,988	19,422,000.00	Not yet completed
12	Sta. Cruz	35,457,500.00	5,455	35,457,500.00	May 10, 2020
13	Subic	74,386,000.00	11,444	74,386,000.00	May 4, 2020
	Total	395,772,000.00	60, 520	393,380,000.00

Source: DILG Zambales Status of SAP Payout Monitoring Sheet

In terms of the posting of the list of SAP beneficiaries in conspicuous places, all 230 or 100% of the barangays in the province have complied. This is to promote the culture of transparency as one of the aspects of good governance especially during this public health crisis.

The DSWD being the lead agency to implement the said program was also assisted by local functionaries like Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) and other offices namely: Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), as well as other authorized personnel during the payout to ensure peace and order in the designated payout areas. Likewise, wearing of facemasks and social distancing were also observed.

Amidst this pandemic, the national government calls out for understanding and cooperation of all as they find ways to effectively and efficiently respond to the needs of its constituents, especially the most vulnerable sectors of the country.