MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday hit the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for delays in the distribution of the government subsidy’s second tranche.
In an online interview with reporters, Gatchalian said he was dismayed with DSWD’s performance in the delivery of the cash aid to qualified beneficiaries of the social amelioration program (SAP).
“Nakaka dismaya ang DSWD dahil dapat natuto na sila sa unang distribution,” he said.
(The DSWD is disappointing because they should’ve learned their lesson from the first distribution.)
“May database na, may pondo na, lahat ng kailangan nila, nandyan na eh. Pero in the execution, marami pa ring hindi tama,” he added.
(They already have a database, they already have the budget, all they need, it’s already there. But when it comes to execution, they still couldn’t get it right.)
“To be honest about it, isa sa mga underperforming agencies ay itong DSWD eh dahil ang bola nasa kamay na nila.”
(To be honest about it, the DSWD is one of the most underperforming agencies because the ball is already in their hands.)
Under Republic Act 11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal As One Act”, 18 million low-income families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic will receive emergency cash assistance ranging from P5,000 to P8,000 for two months, depending on prevailing regional minimum wages, under a P200-billion budget.
As of July 16, DSWD said it has already distributed the second tranche of subsidy to 3.2 million families.
During a hybrid hearing by the House committee on good government and public accountability, DSWD Undersecretary Danilo Pamonag said that some payouts may be extended until August due to some factors such as “mobility constraints in reaching far-flung areas or geographically isolated disadvantaged areas.”
To address the problem, Gatchalian said the best way to distribute the cash aid will be through e-wallets.
“Kumuha sila ng magaling na IT expert, i-automate natin ito. Kaya ‘yan, because ‘yung unang SAP, pwede pa natin patawarin na mabagal, magulo, but we have already learned from that first SAP,” he said.
(They should get good IT experts, they should automate it. They can do it. Because in the first SAP, we can still forgive them. They were slow, the distribution was not planned well. But we have already learned from that first SAP.)
Gatchalian said the other P100 billion allocated for the emergency financial assistance could have fed 5.2 million hungry Filipino families.
READ: 1 out of 5 Pinoys have gone hungry in last 3 months, highest rate since 2014 – SWS
“How can you sleep at night na alam mong 5.2 million ‘di makakain? Yung P100 billion na pondo for SAP, nandyan nakatabi na. I-distribute na natin para makakain na sila, makabili na ng pagkain,” he said.
(How can you sleep at night knowing that 5.2 million families can’t eat? That P100 billion budget for SAP, it’s already set aside. We should distribute it so they can buy their food.)