Under the “new normal” dictated by COVID-19, contactless solutions are perceived to be the best way of distributing cash assistance to families and households greatly affected by the pandemic.
In the Philippines, the distribution of financial aid under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) to beneficiaries is still implemented on ground. Left with no other choice, thousands of people have flocked to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) distribution centers in their respective local government units to receive the cash grant. Social distancing protocols were impossible to follow due to the high volume of beneficiaries lining up for financial assistance, thus increasing the risk of contracting the virus.