Clients seeking help under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program in Negros Oriental are assured of shorter processing periods and faster release of government assistance following the opening of a new center in Dumaguete City.

Governor Manuel Sagarbarria led the launch of the Special Action Group for Accelerated Response (SAGAR) Center at the Negros Oriental Convention Center yesterday, which will reduce the release time of the government financial assistance.

“This SAGAR center is all about creating a faster and more active approach to the processing of AICS coming from the province of Negros Oriental, to make sure that the people will not have a hard time waiting for the release of the assistance,” Sagarbarria said in a media interview.

It is similar to a one-stop shop for applicants processing their papers and even provincial board members and congressional representatives with AICS allocations can also set up their desks with their respective staff at the same center, he said.

The center will be dedicated to the AICS program, which covers a large chunk of the government’s financial assistance packages, he added.

In the past, the governor noted that the processing and releasing of AICS assistance usually took a month and a half, especially in obtaining a case study.

“We are now trying our best to release the assistance within one week, but the ultimate goal would be a same-day release, provided that all requirements are met,” he said.

An AICS beneficiary may be qualified to receive P5,000 or below one-time assistance, usually for prescribed medicines, hospital bills, and even for travel, he added.

The governor’s office limits the release of AICS to 100 applicants or P500,000 a day to stretch out the funding allocation for the whole year, Sagarbarria said. (PNA)