By Charissa Luci-Atienza The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is coming up with new guidelines on the reprioritization of the government's emergency subsidy program in Metro Manila and other areas which remain under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). Department of Social Welfare and Development (MANILA BULLETIN) DSWD Undersecretary Rene Glen Paje disclosed that the Executive Committee is working double time to expedite the issuance of the new guidelines after Malacañang announced that reprioritizing the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) cash subsidy toward ECQ areas is being considered. "Kagabi ay nagtratrabaho ang ating ExeCom para mapabilis ang paggawa ng mga guidelines dahil sa bagong direktiba (Last night, the ExeCom was working to fast track the creation of new guidelines due to the new directive)," he said in a radio interview. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Friday morning announced that low-income households living in areas where the ECQ has been lifted will no longer receive the cash aid, while the areas under lockdown can expect continued distribution of the emergency subsidies. Expected to receive the second wave of emergency subsidies are poor families in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and other areas which remain under lockdown. President Duterte has decided to extend the ECQ until May 15. On Friday, DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista bared that the DSWD Central Office will be formulating guidelines based "on the written directive from the Office of the President." Based on the DSWD's SAP Monitoring Dashboard for Emergency Subsidy, as of April 25, more than P36.85 billion worth of emergency subsidies have been distributed to 7,260,752 SAP beneficiaries in 17 regions. Of the total number, 3,687,325 are beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), while 3,573,427 are non-4Ps families. The total number of beneficiaries who received the subsidies is only 40.33 percent of the target 18 million low-income households as provided under Republic Act No. 11469 or the "Bayanihan to Heal As One Act." According to the DSWD data, the total amount of cash subsidies nationwide pegged at P36.83 billion or 46.39 percent of the total P79.38 billion SAP funds was downloaded to the local government units (LGUs) in 17 regions. Of the P36.83 billion disbursed SAP funds, more than P16.21 billion worth of emergency subsidies have been given to 4Ps beneficiaries. The total number of 4Ps target beneficiaries is 4,311,060. A total of P20,633,477,500 has been given to 3,573,427 low-income and non-4P families. The government is eyeing to cover 13,493,952 low-income, and non-4Ps SAP beneficiaries. Under RA 11469 or the "Bayanihan to Heal As One Act," 18-million low-income households are entitled to receive emergency subsidy ranging from P5,000 to P8,000 for two months starting April. The DSWD has downloaded more than P79.38 billion to the LGUs or more than 98.15 percent of the P80,877,140,500 downloaded by the DSWD Central Office to its Regional Offices on April 3 for distribution to non-4Ps SAP beneficiaries numbering to 13.556 million households.