MANILA, Philippines — There will be no “palakasan” (favoritism) in the distribution of the educational cash aid for indigent students, Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo gave the assurance on Wednesday.
Tulfo made the remark after thousands of applicants swamped the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) main office in Quezon City and satellite offices last weekend to receive the cash aid.
“Huwag ho kayong matakot. Maraming natakot na baka mamili na naman, ma-pulitika na naman (Don’t be afraid. Many are afraid that politics may play into this again),” Tulfo said in a press briefing.
“Ang DSWD ang magi-interview sa inyo at DSWD national ang magbabayad sa inyo, hindi ang local government. Walang palakasan dito,” he added.
(DSWD will interview you, and DSWD national will give the payout, not the local government. So there will be no favoritism here.)
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos said their office and local government units would be extending help in the DSWD’s distribution of the cash aid.
Tulfo, however, said that the role of the LGUs will solely be on the initial checking of the beneficiaries’ documents, stressing that the DSWD will be the one to conduct the interviews and decide on who gets to receive the cash aid.
“After that, pag dumaan na sa kanila, then kami na ang bahala. Kami ang mag-iinterview… After that, dun na siya sa payout master, sa paymaster namin,” Tulfo said.
(Once the documents have been checked, it is now up to us. We will interview you… After that, you will head to our payout master.)
“Ang target namin, within 10 minutes pagkapasok ay makalabas na siya kasi less na yung documentation at yung mga questions para mabilis yung beneficiary,” he added.
(Our target is to finish the process within 10 minutes after you enter the building because there are now fewer documents needed and questions for the beneficiary.)
Tulfo added that the DSWD will only accept those who applied online or through the assigned QR code for now.