DSWD urges public: Report scams in aid distribution

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is urging the public to report anomalies in the distribution of the government’s social amelioration program (SAP), which is intended to give aid to poor families affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.

The DSWD said on Friday night that the agency has established a grievance system to address concerns of families who believe that they are eligible but have been excluded from the list of SAP beneficiaries.

“The public is encouraged to voice out and report anomalies or irregularities in the delivery of SAP through the DSWD grievance redress system,” said Social Welfare Undersecretary Camilo Gudmalin.

According to the DSWD, families who are not in the initial list of beneficiaries but are qualified may file an appeal with their respective local social welfare and development offices within three days from the start of the payout or distribution of assistance in their barangay.

Anomalies and other grievances may also be reported to the agency’s operations center through its hotline 16545. 

All complaints will be referenced and reported to concerned offices for validation and investigation, said the DSWD.

Several local government units had earlier requested for additional slots to the program, noting that the number allocated by the national government is not enough to cover all qualified beneficiaries in the areas.

The DSWD said local officials can submit a list of families who were not covered but are qualified for the assistance.

Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act mandates that subsidy shall be given to low-income families assessed to be most affected by the imposition of community quarantine during to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

DSWD said those excluded include families with elected and appointed government officials, employees in the private sector, retired individuals with pension and those with independent financial capacity.

Earlier, the agency adopted the recommendation of the Department of the Interior and Local Government to include eligible families of barangay health workers, daycare workers and tanods as target beneficiaries of the emergency subsidy program.

It said barangay workers, while considered as government workers who are generally excluded from the program, are part of sub-minimum wage earners or those who earn a wage below the prescribed minimum.

The agency directed implementers to include the eligible families of the barangay workers as target beneficiaries of the cash subsidy, subject to assessment and in accordance with the guidelines of the program. 

“Barangay workers play a critical role in the government’s response efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, working as frontliners in delivering aid to residents in need in their communities,” said the agency.