Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. _____ 
Introduced by the Honorable Precious Hipolito Castelo 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
A year after the declaration of national emergency due to COVID-19, it seems that the country 
is back to square one. Spikes in the daily cases have been observed particularly in the National 
Capital Region (NCR), Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal. These areas were ordered to 
revert to Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), the strictest form among the quarantine 
restrictions, starting on March 29, 2021 until April 4, 2021. 
ECQ seems necessary to contain the spread of the virus. However, the country cannot always 
rely on measures that merely restrict the mobility of people. Programs that complement the 
effectiveness of mobility restrictions should also come to play. Financial aid should be given 
to the most needy and most vulnerable sectors of the society. 
A declaration of ECQ is particularly hard-hitting to workers in the informal sector and 
employees in a “no-work-no-pay” arrangement who will not have a choice but to absent 
themselves from work due to temporary closure of certain establishments. While stoppage of 
work seems convenient for some, it is not so for those who rely on their daily income for 
sustenance. 
Thus, this bill proposes the distribution of a third tranche of the Social Amelioration Program 
(SAP), similar to that disbursed under Republic Act No. 11460, otherwise known as the 
“Bayanihan To Heal As One Act”. 
Since there are reports that some of the supposed beneficiaries of SAP have not yet received 
their allocation for the second tranche, this bill also humbly recommends that the Department 
of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) be mandated to report to Congress all 
disbursements relating to SAP including those that are not yet disbursed for any reason.  
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
PRECIOUS HIPOLITO CASTELO
March 30, 2021
9:54 AM
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
House Bill No. _____ 
Introduced by the Honorable Precious Hipolito Castelo 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR A THIRD TRANCHE OF THE SOCIAL AMELIORATION 
PROGRAM (SAP) AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be referred to as the “Social Amelioration 
Program (SAP) Act of 2021”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. –  It is the policy of the State to immediately mobilize 
assistance in the provision of basic necessities to families and individuals affected by the 
imposition of Community Quarantine, especially indigents and their families. Towards this end, 
the State must undertake a program for recovery and rehabilitation, including a social 
amelioration program which will provide a temporary safety net to the most vulnerable sectors. 
SEC. 3. Emergency Subsidy. – An emergency subsidy to around eighteen (18) million 
low income households is hereby granted, Provided, That the subsidy shall amount to a one-
time payment of a minimum of Five Thousand Pesos (Php5,000.00) to a maximum of Eight 
Thousand Pesos (Php8,000.00); Provided, further, That the subsidy shall be computed based 
on the prevailing regional minimum wage rates; Provided, finally, That the subsidy received 
from the current conditional cash transfer program and rice subsidy shall be taken into 
consideration in the computation of the  emergency subsidy as provided for in this Act. 
SEC. 4. Report to Congress. – The Department of Social Welfare and Development 
(DSWD) is hereby mandated to report to Congress regarding all disbursements relating to 
SAP. The report shall include the amount and corresponding utilization of the funds used, as 
well as those unused for any justified reason. 
SEC. 5. Simultaneous release of Second and Third Tranches. – If for any reason, a 
qualified beneficiary has not yet received his or her allocation for the second tranche of SAP, 
the DSWD is mandated to simultaneously release the second and third tranches to the 
beneficiary. 
SEC. 6. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the effective implementation of 
this Act shall be charged against the appropriations for the DSWD under the current General 
Appropriations Act.   
SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within thirty (30) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the DSWD, in coordination with other relevant government agencies, 
shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to effectively implement the provisions 
of this Act. 
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SEC. 8. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
 
 
SEC. 9. Repealing Clause.  – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, 
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
 
 
 
SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,