Duterte strips politicians of role in distributing COVID-19 aid

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has stripped politicians of the role of distributing aid to sectors hit by the Luzon-wide lockdown as he admitted receiving numerous complaints about the way goods were given to the beneficiaries.

Duterte said Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista, a former military general, would take charge of the distribution of food and cash assistance to low-income households during the quarantine period.

"Ngayon, tinanggal ko sa politiko kasi maraming reklamo. Tinanggal ko sa politiko ‘yung distribution ng pera pati ang bigas na pagkain (I removed the responsibility from politicians because there are a lot of complaints. I stripped politicians of the responsibility to distribute money and rice)," the President said in a televised address Wednesday night.

"Kasi ‘yung iba nagdi-distribute kina-cutting. Instead of seven gawain ninyong five doon sa itaas sa repacking. Kaya ngayon DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) na at ‘yung pera DSWD pati si Secretary [Carlito] Galvez (Others take a cut from the assistance. Instead of seven, they would reduce it to five during the repacking. So it will now be done by the DSWD and Secretary Galvez)," he added.

Duterte said DSWD has its own distribution networks and is used to providing assistance to poor families.

He said the assistance may be used to augment the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino, a cash transfer program that provides cash allowances to families that send their children to school and avail of state health services.

Presidential Peace Adviser Galvez, the chief implementer of the policy against the coronavirus disease, will assist in the distribution of goods.

"Do you understand? I don't care. I just removed it from politicians... These are military men but they are retired. They are now civilians," he added.