Five million more families to receive cash assistance under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) of the government.

"On the first tranche of SAP, it only mean not only 18 million families will benefit we will add five million, so it will be 18 plus five million (families) who will receive SAP," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in the Laging Handa briefing Saturday.

Roque said the 18 million figure was based on the 2015 census.

Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said those "left-out families" will be included in the additional five million beneficiaries under SAP.

"The left-out families who claimed that they are qualified in this program but were not included on the first tranche of SAP, according to records, our government will include additional five million families nationwide," he said.

"We are just waiting for the guidelines that will come from the DSWD ( Department of Social Welfare and Development)," he added.

Malaya also called the local government units to prioritize the ''left-out'' families in the distribution of relief goods while they are waiting for the cash assistance under SAP.

"For the mean time we call the LGU to prioritize the left out families on the food packs that they distribute," he said.

Roque said the recommendation for the second tranche of SAP is still subject on the approval of the president. Robina Asido/DMS