Peña vows to dig deeper into 'ghost' beneficiaries

MANILA, Philippines - Acting Makati Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña on Friday vowed to get deeper into the allegation that “ghost” senior residents of the city have been benefiting from the city government’s assistance under the BLU Card program.

In a statement, Peña said initial findings of an investigation made by the Makati Action Center (MAC) showed a considerable number of ‘non-existent’ beneficiaries.

Peña made the statement after Arthur Cruto, the newly-appointed officer-in-charge of MAC, reported before the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearing its initial findings from its survey of two barangays showing that almost 50 percent of registered BLU Card holders were either non-residents or are already deceased.

“The initial findings are disturbing. They indicate a potentially serious anomaly in the implementation of the BLU Card program that may turn out to be grossly disadvantageous to legitimate senior citizens of Makati,” Peña said.

Peña said MAC personnel will continue to be deployed to conduct surveys in the rest of the barangays and villages for a complete and thorough audit that he said “will show the whole picture.”

“Once we have completed the process, we will be able to come up with more conclusive findings backed by specific and accurate data that will show the full extent of the anomaly,” Peña said.

“We assure our residents that we will not tolerate alleged fraudulent practices that deprive our senior citizens of the full benefits that the city government can afford to give them,” he added.

Senate probe into ‘ghost beneficiaries'

At the Senate hearing on Thursday, MAC head Arthur Cruto said so far, they have audited 14 out of the 33 barangays of the city. He cited their initial findings in two barangays that showed almost half of the names listed as BLU Card members were not found in the given Makati address or were not registered voters. Peña said he was the one who ordered Cruto to conduct the audit.

Cruto said in Barangay Kasilawan, one of the smallest barangays, only 660 out of 1,095 listed senior citizens were registered voters, while 435 could not be located.

On the other hand, out of the 938 beneficiaries listed with Barangay Pinagkaisahan, only 449 were located while 489 were not registered residents. Cruto also said 25 senior citizens shared the same address and at least two of those on the list had been dead for two years. The deceased, he said, continued to receive the cash benefit and their signatures still appeared beside their names.

Under the BLU Card program, beneficiaries are entitled to cash gifts ranging from P2,000 to P4,000 yearly, free cakes on their birthday and golden wedding anniversary, free tours in various parts of the country, unlimited free entrance to all Makati movie theaters and a P3,000 burial assistance to be given to their families on their demise. To qualify for the program, applicants should be a Filipino citizen, registered voter and resident of Makati.

Shortly after assuming the post of acting Makati mayor, Peña ordered an audit of the city's list of senior citizens who are benefiting from the BLU Card program.

Defense of Makati program

Meanwhile, Ryan Barcelo, head of the Makati Social Welfare Department (MSWD) disputed Cruto’s allegation saying the presentation made before the Senate was flawed.

Barcelo, head of the Makati Social Welfare Department (MSWD), said Cruto’s allegation that more than 45% of the senior citizens listed in the BLU Card Program of the MSWD are "ghost senior citizens" is based on a flawed and questionable "auditing" procedure. 

Barcelo disclosed that in the conduct of the audit, Cruto's staff simply went to the houses of listed senior residents to inquire if the senior citizen was there. Barcelo said if they were told that the senior citizen was not around, Cruto’s staff simply put an "X" across the name of that person.

Barcelo said the staff apparently did not bother to ask where the senior citizen was at that time, or if the said senior citizen had already died. 

"Magkaiba ho ang umalis ng bahay sa namatay. Hindi po nila ito inalam," Barcelo said in a statement.

"There should have been what we call a collateral interview. They should have asked where the senior citizen was and not simply put an X beside the person's name when they found out the person was not around. There are a number of reasons a person is not in his house at a certain time," Barcelo said.

"Kwestyonable ang proseso ng kuno audit na ginawa ng grupo ni Cruto. Hindi malinaw kung paano nila itinanong kung nasaan ang mga senior citizen. Hindi malinaw kung gumawa sila ng 'collateral interview' sa mga kamag-anak at kapitbahay ng senior citizen. Hindi din malinaw kung anong 'validation process' ang ginawa nila para talagang walang duda na masasabi na wala na ang senior citizen sa Makati address nito," Barcelo added. 

He added Cruto did not even provide documentary evidence to back up his claim that 45 percent of senior citizens are "ghosts."

Barcelo said the MSWD, which implements the city's various senior citizens' programs, strictly follows procedures to validate reports that a senior citizen has moved to another address outside Makati or has died.

"Para sa kaalaman ng lahat, ang MSWD ay sumusunod sa isang mahigpit at maingat na proseso ng pag-validate sa mga ulat na natatanggap nito kagaya ng paglipat ng tirahan sa labas ng Makati ng senior citizen o ang pagkamatay nito bago alisin ang pangalan niya sa listahan ng Blu Card Program beneficiaries, " Barcelo said.

Barcelo said the MSWD conducts "collateral interviews" meaning they talk to relatives and neighbors of the senior citizen to validate claims in the forms submitted to their office.

The validation process involves the president of the barangay association of senior citizens and the barangay chairman. It is only after actual confirmation that the senior citizen has left Makati and has no intention to return that he or she is removed from the list, he said.

If the said senior citizen's whereabouts cannot be confirmed, his or her name is marked in the database as "hold," meaning that the MSWD will suspend release of benefits pending further investigation.

"Maibabalik lamang ito kung siya ay nagpakitang muli sa MSWD at nakumpirma na aktuwal itong naninirahan sa Makati," he said.

Barcelo said all senior citizens enrolled in the BLU Card Program are required to be personally present when they apply.

"Sa simula pa lang ay lahat ng mga senior citizen na nasa BLU Card Program ay buhay at aktuwal na nag-apply sa programa. Sila ay nag-comply sa mga requirements nang sila ay mag-apply. Kailan man ay walang multo o “ghosts” na senior citizens na inapply at ipinasok ang pangalan sa BLU Card Program," he said.

On the allegation that deceased senior citizens are still on the list of beneficiaries, Barcelo said the MSWD also follows a validation procedure prior to the removal of the name of the senior citizen from the list. This includes the submission of a death certificate, and verification by the MSWD upon receiving reports that a beneficiary has died.

"Hindi maaring tanggalin sa listahan ng BLU Card Program ang pangalan ng senior citizen na naiulat lamang na namatay na habang walang naipapakita o naisusumiteng Death Certificate nito sa MSWD. Kapag may ulat na natatanggap ang MSWD na ang isang senior citizen ay namatay na, bibisitahin ng empleyado ng MSWD ang pamilya ng 'namatayan' at kukumpirmahin ang nasabing ulat. Kung kumpirmadong pumanaw na nga ang senior citizen, tutulungan ang kanyang pamilya na makakuha ng burial assistance kung hindi pa nila nakukuha ito. Pagkatapos nito lamang tatanggalin ang pangalan niya sa BLU Card Program," Barcelo said.