DSWD won’t let pols take over education aid distribution

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will still take charge of the distribution of P1,000 to P4,000 in educational assistance to indigent “students-in-crisis,” shunning an offer from League of Provinces president and South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr.

In an interview with “The Chiefs” on One News channel Tuesday night, Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo said they wanted to shield the issuance of assistance from parochial, partisan politics and favoritism of local chief executives for ally families.

“I am sure our fellow Filipinos would not want that to happen,” Tulfo said in Filipino, noting that the indigents who do not have “connections” to the city or town hall will not get the aid if local governments are allowed to handle the distribution.

He said the DSWD would retain the task of screening and approving the applications for educational assistance, but will take up the offer of manpower and other resources of LGUs under a partnership struck with Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) through Secretary Benhur Abalos.

Tamayo earlier criticized the poorly organized first day distribution of the educational assistance by the DSWD last Saturday. He said that while the national government’s intention to reach out and provide cash assistance to the families of poor students is laudable, this should have been done in a more organized manner.

He also called on the DSWD to let provinces instead take on the job of distributing the cash aid, saying careful thought is needed in executing this.

But Tulfo promised that the DSWD, in partnership with the DILG, would do a better job in the distribution of assistance in the next Saturdays up to Sept. 24.

As a rule, the DSWD will no longer be entertaining walk-in applicants in the next few Saturdays and will only process those that were submitted online or through the text application process.

Romel Lopez, DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson, said the agency received 1.2 million applications for educational assistance, out of which only 400,000 recipients could be selected for the P1.5-billion fund they have secured for the program.

Muntinlupa City Mayor Ruffy Biazon, who was also interviewed by The Chiefs, said he is “very much willing” to help the DSWD.

“As long as our constituents will benefit, we are open to helping out the DSWD… It is good if they will tap the local government, because we do have the network on the ground. Centralizing, really, is not a good idea,” Biazon said in Filipino.

He noted that LGUs can help in crowd management and security as well as site preparation and additional workforce.

Biazon criticized the idea of not accepting walk-in applicants, saying this effectively excludes students who do not have the means to register digitally.

Meanwhile, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte came to the aid of public school teachers following Tulfo’s remark that teachers, if allowed to get involved in the cash aid distribution, may only favor certain individuals.

“Our public school teachers have always been models of professionalism, and their dedication and commitment to public service go beyond self-interest,” Duterte stressed in a statement yesterday. “They embody selflessness, and their love of country and fellowmen is something that cannot be questioned.”

Tulfo, in a press conference Wednesday, said he does not want teachers to be accused of favoring someone, citing an incident where a teacher reportedly favored a relative.

Duterte said Tulfo does not have to worry as the teachers’ dignity and genuine concern for students are among the reasons why they choose to remain in the profession.

“We cannot quantify the level of sacrifices of our teachers just to guide and teach their students... Their strong sense of dignity strengthens their resolve to remain in the profession,” Duterte said in Filipino.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines and the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition earlier slammed Tulfo over his “very irresponsible” and “uncalled for” remark against teachers.

“Sir, you cannot cover up your own failures by nitpicking on others,” said ACT chairperson Vladimer Quetua, noting that Tulfo’s late announcement of the distribution of cash aid – just a couple of days before the opening of classes last Monday – caused inconvenience to teachers as parents and students swarmed the schools to ask for certificate of enrollment, which is among the requirements for the release of cash assistance.

“It caused the deluge in schools of parents asking for certificate of enrollment at a time when our teachers are struggling to set up their classrooms, source out chairs and accomplish last-minute preparations for the class opening,” Quetua said. –  Ralph Edwin Villanueva, Ghio Ong, Elizabeth Marcelo