Lacson: SC must decide SAP aid for GCQ areas

Senator Panfilo Lacson asserts that the Supreme Court must decide whether to withhold the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) from General Community Quarantine (GCQ) areas, as the law's interpretation is critical to determining eligibility for cash aid.

The government initially announced that only those under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) would receive the P5,000 to P8,000 cash subsidy for May, despite the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act providing aid to 18 million low-income families for two months.

Lacson emphasized that the law's primary goal is to assist those who lost jobs and livelihood due to the pandemic, but the eligibility criteria depend on the Supreme Court's interpretation of the law.

Malacanang stated that GCQ areas would no longer receive the second SAP tranche, while those under Modified ECQ and ECQ can still access the aid.

Lacson suggested Congress may approve a supplemental budget using the remaining P281 billion from the 2019 budget to assist an additional five million families, provided the government's task force clarifies the budget utilization plan to Congress.