DSWD, DICT launch mobile app to expedite distribution of cash aid

MANILA, Philippines — A mobile app was launched Thursday by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to expedite the distribution of government cash aid to beneficiaries affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

In an online press briefing, both departments launched the “ReliefAgad” App which was developed alongside Developers Connect Philippines (DEVCON).

“The introduction of the ReliefAgad mobile application today will improve the way we gather beneficiary data by taking advantage of the mobile phone technology.

by doing digital in the sap registration account, it will expedite the delivery of cash subsidies to families in need, especially with the distribution of the second tranche of [the Social Amelioration Program] SAP,” DSWD Usec. Danilo Pamonag said.

Pamonag added that with the ReliefAgad app, it will lessen the manual encoding of physical copies of SAP forms by LGUs, as well as to lessen the time to prove how families are truly qualified for the government cash assistance program.

To use the app, the beneficiary would input his/her information as they would through a physical form of the social amelioration card (SAC). The beneficiary, using his/her mobile phone, will then register to the ReliefAgad app website found at www.reliefagad.ph.

Using the app, he/she can must can the bar code found on the form. He/she will then register his/her information that is needed, as well as those of his/her household members.

If the application is approved, the beneficiary will then be asked what is the preferred method of payment, whether cash that will be distributed by local officials, or either GCash or PayMaya.

But what if you don’t have a smartphone? DICT Assistant Secretary Manny Caintic answered: “Meron naman tayong fallback, ano? Pwede rin yung ating system is may mano-manong encoding sa mga LGUs at tuturuan natin.”

(We have a fallback. The system can also be done under manual encoding, and we will train our LGUs.)

“So kahit walang smartphone eh pwede naman sillang ipasok ng ating mga LGUs at may training tayo for them to encode those data,” he added.

(So even if you don’t have a smartphone, the data can still be input by our LGUs, and we will train them to encode the data.)

Meanwhile, DSWD director Andrew Ambubuyog assured that none of the beneficiaries’ information will be saved, as he said that the developers made sure that app complies with the Data Privacy Act.

Under Republic Act 11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal As One Act”, a total of P100 billion worth of cash assistance will be provided to 18 million low-income families affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Each qualified family will receive a cash subsidy ranging from P5,000 to P8,000, depending on prevailing regional minimum wage rates.

As of Thursday, there are now 11,876 COVID-19 cases, of which 2,337 have successfully recovered while 790 have died.

JPV