DILG: LGUs may ask for more aid beneficiaries

MANILA, Philippines — To address complaints of uneven distribution of cash assistance, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said local government units (LGUs) may appeal the number of poor families qualified for the government’s social amelioration program.

DILG spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya advised local government officials, specifically barangay captains, to gather the names of those belonging to low-income households who are not included in the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s list of qualified beneficiaries.

“My own personal suggestion to them, because of this situation, is to prioritize the poorest of the poor, as the President said, if ever there is a lack of forms given to us from the DSWD,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English in an interview yesterday over dzMM.

The list will then be submitted to the DSWD for inclusion in the next batch of beneficiaries.

Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista, Malaya said, guaranteed that all appeals from the LGUs will be consolidated and brought to the attention of the Department of Finance.

President Duterte has earmarked P200 billion in cash assistance to poor families severely affected by the lack of economic activity as a result of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Poor families in Metro Manila are entitled to a maximum of P8,000 in monthly cash assistance for two months.

As this developed, Senate President Vicente Sotto III asked yesterday concerned national government agencies and LGUs to immediately reconcile their conflicting figures to speed up delivery of emergency financial assistance to the poor and other vulnerable sectors.

Use gov’t ‘savings’

Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero yesterday renewed his call for President Duterte to use government savings in the fight against COVID-19 and to help those affected by the extended ECQ. 

“Because of the ECQ that has forced many government offices to temporarily close and their personnel are compelled to stay home, the bureaucracy is naturally generating a lot of savings in funds for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE),” Romero said.  

He pointed out that MOOE expenses the bureaucracy is saving include those for fuel and other oil products, electricity, water, supplies and materials, communication, advertising, representation or dining out and entertainment and travel. – With Paolo Romero, Delon Porcalla, Mayen Jaymalin, Elizabeth Marcelo, Cecille Suerte Felipe