DSWD given full control and supervision of funds
(Eagle News) – Malacanang said on Thursday, April 2, that some P5,000 to P8,000 monthly “cash assistance” would be given directly to the 18 million poor families in the country who have already been identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
In a virtual press briefing, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said that President Rodrigo Duterte had decided to give the assistance package to the poorest families in cash, and not in kind.
“Cash assistance na ang ibibigay sa 18 million na pamilya,” he said.
“Ang mga tulong na ito ay ibibigay ng DSWD, diretso sa inyo.”
Malacanang said that this would be given this April and May.
Nograles, who is also the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Spokesperson, said that the DSWD can deputize the LGUs but only under the strict supervision of DSWD officials, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
If ever LGUs are deputized by the DSWD to help, Nograles said this will involve the quick liquidation on how they have distributed the funds.
The P5,000 to P8,000 cash allocations monthly are part of the P200 billion social amelioration funds that are specified in the “Bayanihan to Heal as One” law signed by President Duterte to address the coronavirus pandemic.
Initially, this could be given in cash or in kind to the 18 million low income families for two months. The subsidy will depend on the prevailing daily wage rate in their respective regions.
But the Palace’s statement on Thursday was clear. This would be given in cash directly to the families concerned.
Nograles announced the approval of the emergency subsidy program as recommended by the technical working group on social amelioration headed by the DSWD in a televised virtual presser on Thursday, April 2.
He said that the “program shall provide outright cash benefits for an estimated 18 million households ranging from P5,000 to P8,000 based on regional thresholds” as promulgated by the DSWD, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture, Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Finance through Joint Memorandum Circular no. 1 Series of 2020.
“Aprubado na po na cash assistance na ang ibibigay sa 18 million benefiairies nationwide. Ulitin ko lang, ang sinabi ni Pangulong Duterte kagabi ang mga tulong na ito ay ibibigay ng DSWD diretso po sa inyo, Tutulong po ang ating mga LGUs, pero ang DSWD ang magmamando sa pagibigay ng cash assistance na ito,” he said.
All financial assistance from the national government “will be given directly to its beneficiaries,” he said.
The DSWD will be given full control and supervision of the emergency subsidy program funds to ensure that only targeted beneficiary families shall receive their cash subsidies, Nograles said.
“Gagawin po ng gobyeno na agarang maipaabo ang tulong sa inyo.”
Nograles also clarified that the LGUs can still continue their distribution of food and other basic items to their constitutents if these would be coming from their own “quick response funds” or from other private donations.
Funds coming from the national government for distribution to the 18 million low-income Filipino families would be given and coursed through the DSWD alone, he said.
(Eagle News Service)
