Local officials cannot split emergency subsidy fund

April 13, 2020

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as well as the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), on Monday discouraged local government officials who split the emergency subsidy fund just to cater more beneficiaries.

During Laging Handa briefing, DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said it is not written in the Interagency Task Force (IATF) guidelines that the cash assistance under the social amelioration program can be split as it is intended for families who are identified as target beneficiaries.

“We discourage splitting up the emergency subsidy fund because this amount was studied (by the economic managers) and this is the close approximation a family will need to meet their basic necessities for a month,” Dumlao said.

Based on the guidelines, families who are qualified beneficiaries of the program living in the National Capital Region (NCR) will receive P8,000 while other regions will receive P6,000 to P5,000.

Dumlao reiterated the DSWD’s statement that those families who feel they should be included as beneficiaries can avail of the grievance mechanism of the government where they can appeal to receive the full cash assistance.

Some residents said barangay officials in their areas told them that they will have to share the cash assistance from the social amelioration program with other families as the number of target beneficiaries are limited and will not cover everyone in their barangay.

Interior Secretary Jonathan Malaya said this is scheme is not allowed and he reminded local government officials to not politicize  the government’s program.

“It is important that the public will know who are the qualified beneficiaries because we have this impression that all families will be beneficiary but the government already explained that this is only for the low income families,” Malaya said.

He said if residents have evidence a government official is giving cash assistance to unqualified beneficiaries or they gave the amount again to 4Ps beneficiaries, they should report it to the DILG so cases can be filed against them.

Malaya said local government officials who will violate the Bayanihan Heal As One Act will face two-month imprisonment and fine up to one million pesos.

DSWD thanked LGUs who are helping them in providing assistance to their constituents.

On Sunday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said local government officials who will be found not properly distributing the cash assistance will either be asked to refund or reimburse the money.

Nograles said they will also face criminal and administrative charges. Ella Dionisio/DMS