MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has asked local officials to help the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as it doles out educational financial assistance to beneficiaries to avoid a repeat of Saturday’s chaotic distribution in many areas that left several people injured.
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said local government units (LGUs) must provide manpower support to facilitate the orderly handing out of aid. They should also provide fixed venues for the implementation of the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program to make the distribution process more convenient.
“In cases of cities and big municipalities, it is encouraged to have multiple distribution centers to avoid overcrowding of students and their parents,” Abalos said in a statement on Monday.
He issued the directive after Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo asked LGUs to help his department distribute the AICS educational cash aid. On Saturday, huge crowds lined up at the DSWD main office in Quezon City and satellite units nationwide, leading to chaos and in Zamboanga City, a stampede that left 29 people hurt.
Meeting needed
Muntinlupa City Mayor Ruffy Biazon said that should the DSWD tap LGUs for assistance, the local government “would appreciate a sit-down meeting to plan the distribution, which should be preceded by a thorough communication plan.”
The DSWD educational assistance distribution began on Aug. 20, and will continue every Saturday until Sept. 24.
Noting that the DSWD was distributing billions of pesos in aid with the “lowest regular staff-to-clientele ratio,” a lawmaker has urged government agencies to fast-track the regularization of its temporary employees.
House Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto said the chaos that marred the distribution of P500 million in cash aid to indigent students last weekend was a “teachable moment” that exposed an “organizational Achilles’ heel.”
According to him, the DSWD serves 61.6 million—or more than half of the country’s population—with only 2,993 regular employees.
“Never has so much been done for so many by so few. This lean staff complement means that it spends 4.5 centavos for every budget peso for personnel compensation,” Recto said in a statement on Tuesday.
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