Sotto to DSWD: Release names of those who received govt cash aid

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III called on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to be transparent and release the names of those who have received cash aid from the government.

In a statement issued Sunday, Sotto said the DSWD should release on the agency’s website, the names of the beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP), as well as the areas already covered by the program.

The Senate President made the call, saying it was “the need for transparency” as mandated by Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act. He also cited complaints of low-income workers, who claimed of not having received the cash aid.

Under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, 18 million low-income families will receive cash subsidy ranging from P5,000 to P8,000, depending on the prevailing regional minimum wage rates.

“Marami tayong naririnig na reklamo na hindi umano natanggap ng mga taong dapat ay kwalipikadong makakuha ng cash assistance na pinayagan ng Kongreso sa ilalim ng Bayanihan Act,” he stated.

(I hear complaints some people, who are qualified for the cash assistance program as allowed by  Congress, have not received their share.)

“Kaya ang tanong natin ngayon, sino-sino na ba ang nabigyan ng gobyerno? Bakit marami ang nagrereklamong hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa nila nakukuha ang ayuda na nakasaad sa batas?”

(That’s why our question now is who is being provided by the government? Why are there people complaining that  until now, they have not received the aid that has been mandated by the law?)

Sotto, meanwhile, stated that in the latest report submitted by President Rodrigo Duterte to Congress, it was only mentioned that the DSWD disbursed P80 million of the P100 billion allotted SAP for the month of April.

For him, he said it was “incomplete,” citing that it had no details related to the distribution of assistance, such as the number of recipients, the areas where it was distributed and the breakdown of the amount given to local government units.

“Kailangang malinaw sa aming mga mambabatas at sa publiko kung paano ibinahagi itong perang ito. Kulang sa detalye ang ipinasang report sa Kongreso, (This needs to be clear to our lawmakers and to the public on how the cash was distributed. The report submitted to Congress was incomplete.)  ” he stated.

Luzon, as well as other areas, are now under an enhanced community quarantine as cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue to soar. Data from the health departments show 6,087 persons now infected by COVID-19. Of this number, 516 have managed to recover while 397 have died of the disease.

/MUF