The responsible government agencies released Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1 for the social amelioration programs (see List of Social Amelioration Programs; Second Tranche) implemented pursuant to the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Republic Act No. 11469) and its Implementing Directives. The Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) is a social amelioration program to provide cash or non-cash subsidy to 18 million household beneficiaries, in the amount of at least P5,000 to a maximum of P8,000 per month, for 2 months (see Emergency Subsidy Program). The target beneficiaries, per the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, are families that belong to either the poor or informal sector which are at risk of not earning a living during the Enhanced Community Quarantine, who may have at least one (1) member belonging to any of the following vulnerable or disadvantaged sectors (see documentary requirements):
1. Senior citizens
2. Persons with disability
3. Pregnant and Lactating Women
4. Solo parents (see Primer on Solo Parents)
5. Overseas Filipinos (OFs) in Distress – These are OFs who were repatriated or banned from traveling outside the Philippines on account of the COVID-19 breakout, from January 2020 until the lifting of the community quarantine. [See also P10,000 for Overseas Filipino Workers under DOLE-AKAP for OFWs]
6. Indigent Indigenous Peoples – Those certified as poor by the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) or the subject Field Office of the DSWD or those who are living in recognized ancestral domains whose income solely depend on subsistence economy as those engaged in indigenous means of livelihood as hunting, gathering or foraging as certified by the NCIP or tribal chieftain/council of elders or those who are informal economy workers.
7. Underprivileged Sector and Homeless Citizens – Individuals or families residing in urban, urbanizable and rural areas whose income or combined family income falls within the poverty threshold as defined by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) or those who do not own housing facilities and do not enjoy security of tenure.
8. Informal Economy Workers – Those who are independent, self-employed, small-scale producers and distributors of goods and services like the following:
- 8.1. Directly Hired or Occasional Workers – Persons who are contracted to do work on an irregular basis, hired by the direct recipient of the service and whose salary is completely dependent upon the completion of the particular work for which he or she was hired (e.g. laundry maid);
- 8.2. Subcontracted Workers – Any person who is an employee of a subcontractor, as defined by Article 106 and 107 of the Labor Code (e.g. pakyaw workers);
- 8.3. Homeworkers – Any person who performs in or about his home any processing of goods or materials, in whole or in part, which have been furnished directly or indirectly by an employer and thereafter to be returned to the latter (e.g. family enterprise such as those involved in craftsmaking, native delicacy production, home-based food processing);
- 8.4. Househelpers – Persons defined as “kasambahay” under Section 4 (d) of Republic Act No. 10361 or the Domestic Workers Act who are currently not receiving any remuneration from their family of work, or who cannot report to work due to the community quarantine (e.g. kasambahay or family driver);
- 8.5. Drivers of Pedicab, Tricycle, PUJs, UVs, PUBs, Taxi, Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) and Transport Network Companies (TNC) – Persons driving a pedicab, tricycle, jeepney, van, taxi, TNVS, TNC, owned by another person and only subject to a boundary system; provided that those who own the vehicle they drive are still eligible if their income is solely dependent thereon (e.g. Angkas and Joyride drivers);
- 8.6. Micro-entrepreneurs and Producers, Operators of Sari-sari Stores, and the like – Persons operating independent, small- scale enterprises and distributors of goods and services the scope of business or service any business activity or enterprise engaged in industry, agri-business and/or services that has: (1) an asset size (less land) of less than P100,000;
- 8.7. Family Enterprise Owners – Families operating or managing small businesses such as retail, food production, and vending; (not limited to owners of carinderia, fruit or vegetable vendors and vendors in streets, RTW, etc.);
- 8.8. Sub Minimum Wage Earners – Any person who earns a wage below the prescribed minimum and is the sole income-earner of their family (e.g. dishwashers or helpers in carinderia);
- 8.9. Farmers, Fisherfolks, and Farm workers – persons engaged in agriculture and fisheries related activities, farm services and secondary processing whose monthly family income falls under the poverty line;
- 8.10. Employees affected by “no work, no pay” policy and not covered by DOLE Order No. 209, Series of 2020 or any DOLE issuance/s on adjustment measures program;
- 8.11. Stranded workers – for the purpose of these guidelines, refer to individuals affected by work suspension or closure who are in sites or places other than their permanent residence and unable to return home on account of the community quarantine (e.g. construction workers stranded in their respective construction site/s).
[See also: Documentary Requirements to Avail of Government Social Amelioration Programs for COVID-19; Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) during the Community Quarantine); Social Amelioration Programs for the Community Quarantine by Reason of COVID-19]
- Extension of Filing Periods and Suspension of Hearings for March 29 to April 4, 2021: SC Administrative Circular No. 14-2021 (Full Text) - March 28, 2021
- ECQ Bubble for NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal: Resolution No. 106-A (Full Text) - March 27, 2021
- Guidelines on the Administration of COVID-19 Vaccines in the Workplaces (Labor Advisory No. 3) - March 12, 2021
Hi.. paano naman po ung mga ofw na gaya ko po?? Ofw po kami pero under salary deduction po ako ng 5months. Di ba pwede makaavail jan??
Overseas Filipinos in Distress is included in the list. Also, we heard that DOLE is asking for supplemental funds for OFWs. Perhaps we can update this post as soon as we get more information. Good luck.
HI…paano po maka avail nito, i am an OFW went home coz of health problem…A single parent of 2 kids, no job at kasalukuyang nanatiling under nCOV19 quarentine days…di makapaghanapbuhay..sana po maka avail ako.
Hi Diosalou. Dapat ipagpaalam mo sa inyong barangay o munisipyo. Naghahanda sila ng SACs: https://pnl-law.com/blog/social-amelioration-cards-sac-for-the-covid-19-community-quarantine-programs/
Good luck.
May tanong lang po papanu po pag nakatangap na sa sac tapos may narecieve din sa sbws ng sss ano po dapat gawin ,para aware lng po
Hi Jayfrey. Yung form sa SBWS, tinatanong kung nakatanggap ba sa CAMP. Hindi tinatanong kung may nataggap sa ibang SAPs. Good luck.
Good day.
Under po ba ng ESP ang SBWS ng SSS?
Hi Ran. Yun din ang tanong namin. Pero ang ESP, para lamang sa 18M household beneficiaries belonging to the “poor or informal sector”. Iba ang SBWS dahil para ito sa formal sector.