Cayetano tells DSWD to set up regional hotlines to deal with cash aid queries

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday called on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to set up a hotline per region to accommodate queries on the social amelioration program.

According to Cayetano, a DSWD hotline per region is important since every situation is different for every region.

“We are recommending that [the] hotlines will be regional. Huwag nating kalimutan na iba ang sitwasyon sa (Let us not forget that the situation is different in) Basulta, iba ang sitwasyon sa Zamboanga, iba ang sitwasyon sa Gen San, sa Davao, sa Bohol, sa Iloilo, sa Bacolod, sa Cebu, iba ang sitwasyon sa Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, sa Calabarzon, sa Greater Manila, sa Bicol,” Cayetano explained in a Facebook live.

“It would be good kung regional ‘yung ating hotline kasi mas akma ang magiging response atsaka advice (so that we can provide a more appropriate response and advice),” he added.

Cayetano explained that most of the queries regarding the government’s social amelioration program during the coronavirus pandemic come from Regions III, IV-A, and the National Capital Region (NCR).

“Dito po [sa mga region na ito] (In these regions) from 54 to 64 percent ang (is the) calculation ng (of) families belonging to the 18 million Filipino families,” Cayetano said.

“Samantalang (But) as you go outside Greater Metro Manila, it goes to 78 to 90 percent kasi mas marami doon ang poor under ‘yung qualifications sa ating gobyerno (because there are more poor households there under the qualifications of our government),” he added.

Section 4 (c) of Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act which tackles the provision of an emergency subsidy to around 18 million low-income households in the country affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The subsidy ranges from P5,000 to P8,000 a month for two months. But the exact amount will depend on the “prevailing regional minimum wage rates” in the region.

KGA