MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The objective of an investigation into supposed delays in the distribution of cash aid by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 鈥渋s not to point fingers, but to find a better way鈥� to deliver assistance to the public amid the pandemic.
This was the explanation of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, as he and other House leaders filed a resolution seeking to investigate the 鈥渄elay鈥� in DSWD鈥檚 provision of the national government鈥檚 social amelioration program (SAP).
In an ambush interview Friday, Cayetano said he wants to hear straight from DSWD officials about their plans should there be another lockdown.
鈥淭his is not to point fingers, but to find a better way of delivering the social amelioration and other benefits to people,鈥� he said.
鈥淪awang-sawa na akong marinig na, 鈥榮ana kung pinasa natin 鈥榶ung national ID鈥�, 鈥榮ana kung 鈥榶ung forms dinistribute house-to-house鈥�. Lahat 鈥榶un totoo, pero hindi gusto ng tao 鈥榶ung panay 鈥榮ana鈥� eh,鈥� he added.
(I am tired of hearing, 鈥榠f only we passed national ID鈥�, 鈥榳hat if the forms were distributed house-to-house鈥�. Those are all true but the people do not wanna hear 鈥榳hat ifs鈥�.)
Under House Resolution No. 973, the lawmakers cited several issues with DSWD鈥檚 measures in distributing the government鈥檚 financial assistance 鈥� including the agency鈥檚 requirement to use Social Amelioration Cards (SAC) as a mechanism for eligible families to receive a subsidy from the government during this public health crisis.
The lawmakers also hit DSWD鈥檚 initially prescribed procedure, which they think is 鈥渓engthy and complicated.鈥� According to legislators, such a procedure had 30 steps and five layers of approval with an estimated completion time of up to three weeks.
鈥淭he issuance of four [memorandum circulars] in a span of five days, in addition to the prescription of a 30-step procedure, caused confusion to LGUs and he intended recipients, thereby unnecessarily exacerbating the mental anguish and serious anxiety they have experienced as a result of the pandemic,鈥� they said.
Cayetano said all these issues need 鈥渢o be ventilated for the purpose of coming up with a better system.鈥�
鈥淚 want to hear from DWSD (kung) ano ang plano n鈥檡o. Kung biglang mag-lockdown ulit, na God forbid, makakapag-distribute ba kayo?鈥� Cayetano said.
(I want to hear from DSWD what their plan is. What if there will be another lockdown, God forbid, will you be able to distribute?)
鈥淣akita ko sa cellphone, nagte-text sila, 鈥榤iyembro ba kayo o dapat kayong tumanggap ng SAP, mag-register sa ganitong site鈥�. But that was the intention na ibigay 鈥榶ung forms house to house eh, di 鈥榖a?鈥� he added.
(I saw on cellphone, they are sending a message asking the public if they are eligible to accept SAP, then they have to register to a site. But that was the intention of giving of forms house-to-house, right?)
The first hearing on DSWD鈥檚 distribution of government aid is scheduled on June 22, Monday.
It will be presided by the House committee on good government and public accountability as well as the committee on public accounts.