DILG orders barangay captains: Publish masterlist of cash aid beneficiaries

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday directed barangay captains to make public the names of their community’s beneficiaries for the social amelioration program.

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said village leaders must fully disclose the list of target beneficiaries in order to promote “honesty, transparency, and orderly management” of the financial subsidy from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

He also said the list of beneficiaries can be clearly posted on the barangay hall, city/municipal hall, social center, gymnasium, auditorium, transport terminal, public market, health station, hospital, and other similar public spaces.

“We want the process of identifying the target beneficiaries under the SAP to be transparent. Hence, we have directed all our punong barangays to post the masterlist of beneficiaries in strategic areas in their barangays so that the residents will also be informed if they will receive the said financial assistance from the government,” Año stressed.

“It’s very important to broadcast their lists so the citizens will be enlightened and well-informed that the priority recipients are the poorest families who have no means to earn a living in the middle of this crisis,” he added.

The social amelioration program was implemented to ease the impact of the enhanced community quarantine on the most vulnerable sector of the society since the lockdown effectively stopped the operation of businesses and work, leaving the many poor people without a livelihood.

The enhanced community quarantine across Luzon was imposed to control the transmission of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the highly infectious respiratory illness COVID-19.

“Our intention here is to make sure that the barangays have a correct and complete list of beneficiaries,” said Año. “If the list isn’t complete, the local government unit can take the necessary course of action and inform the DSWD.”

Año added that he issued the order after receiving reports from field officers that there has been a lack of transparency regarding the distribution of social amelioration forms and cash aid.