MANILA, Philippines — The objective of an investigation into supposed delays in the distribution of cash aid by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) “is not to point fingers, but to find a better way” to deliver assistance to the public amid the pandemic.
This was the explanation of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, as he and other House leaders filed a resolution seeking to investigate the “delay” in DSWD’s provision of the national government’s social amelioration program (SAP).
In an ambush interview Friday, Cayetano said he wants to hear straight from DSWD officials about their plans should there be another lockdown.
“This is not to point fingers, but to find a better way of delivering the social amelioration and other benefits to people,” he said.
“Sawang-sawa na akong marinig na, ‘sana kung pinasa natin ‘yung national ID’, ‘sana kung ‘yung forms dinistribute house-to-house’. Lahat ‘yun totoo, pero hindi gusto ng tao ‘yung panay ‘sana’ eh,” he added.
(I am tired of hearing, ‘if only we passed national ID’, ‘what if the forms were distributed house-to-house’. Those are all true but the people do not wanna hear ‘what ifs’.)
Under House Resolution No. 973, the lawmakers cited several issues with DSWD’s measures in distributing the government’s financial assistance – including the agency’s requirement to use Social Amelioration Cards (SAC) as a mechanism for eligible families to receive a subsidy from the government during this public health crisis.
The lawmakers also hit DSWD’s initially prescribed procedure, which they think is “lengthy and complicated.” According to legislators, such a procedure had 30 steps and five layers of approval with an estimated completion time of up to three weeks.
“The issuance of four [memorandum circulars] in a span of five days, in addition to the prescription of a 30-step procedure, caused confusion to LGUs and he intended recipients, thereby unnecessarily exacerbating the mental anguish and serious anxiety they have experienced as a result of the pandemic,” they said.
Cayetano said all these issues need “to be ventilated for the purpose of coming up with a better system.”
“I want to hear from DWSD (kung) ano ang plano n’yo. Kung biglang mag-lockdown ulit, na God forbid, makakapag-distribute ba kayo?” Cayetano said.
(I want to hear from DSWD what their plan is. What if there will be another lockdown, God forbid, will you be able to distribute?)
“Nakita ko sa cellphone, nagte-text sila, ‘miyembro ba kayo o dapat kayong tumanggap ng SAP, mag-register sa ganitong site’. But that was the intention na ibigay ‘yung forms house to house eh, di ‘ba?” he added.
(I saw on cellphone, they are sending a message asking the public if they are eligible to accept SAP, then they have to register to a site. But that was the intention of giving of forms house-to-house, right?)
The first hearing on DSWD’s distribution of government aid is scheduled on June 22, Monday.
It will be presided by the House committee on good government and public accountability as well as the committee on public accounts.