CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY –– Seven barangay officials are facing charges for failing to comply with health protocols in distributing financial aid to poor communities during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, a regional official said.
Arnel Agabe, regional director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Region 10, said erring village officials failed to observe minimum health standards, such as wearing face masks by recipients of the social amelioration program (SAP) and ensuring physical distancing during the distribution.
Agabe said the same standard also discouraged unnecessary mass gathering in the barangays.
The seven erring officials came from Cogon, Balingasag town, Misamis Oriental; Tibanga, Iligan City; Bulua, Cagayan de Oro; Lapinig, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte; Ampinikan, Salay, Misamis Oriental; Mabunga, Baungon town, Bukidnon; and Bañader, Ozamiz City, he said but did not disclose their identities nor their positions.
“Our barangay officials should take the lead in ensuring that all minimum public health standards are observed,” Agabe said in an online forum on Friday.
He said his office would be documenting the non-compliance of local officials as a basis for the filing of administrative charges against them.
Oliver Inodeo, information officer of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the region, said distribution of the next tranche of amelioration would take place in the region as soon as DSWD 10 submits its final list of beneficiaries to its central office.
He said DSWD 10 was still clearing up the double entries in the list of recipients.
Once the DSWD-10’s list is finalized, it would be submitted to the national office as a requirement for the release of the SAP funds, he said.
Inodeo said the amount to be transmitted to DSWD-10 would depend on the number of SAP beneficiaries on its final list.