HOUSE Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday, June 22, slammed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) over the red tape in the distribution of cash assistance under the government’s social amelioration program (SAP).
Cayetano and eight other House members filed House Resolution (HR) no. 973 which seeks to investigate the delay in the distribution of the government’s cash aid.
During a House committee on good government and public accountability hearing, Cayetano criticized the agency’s 30-step process in the distribution of SAP.
He said Congress shouldn’t have rushed the passage of Republic Act (RA) no. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.
“Before po Covid, napakaganda ng ating coordination. Pagkatapos naming ipasa ang batas, biglang ito ang ipapakita nyo sa amin. Iyan ang proseso na ginawa ninyo, 30 steps,” Cayetano said.
“Sana ‘di namin niratsada ang batas. Sana ginawa naming one week ‘yung [paggawa ng] batas, nilagay na namin ‘yung procedure,” he added.
Cayetano said that four regional directors of the agency are guilty of having delays in the SAP distribution.
“Ilan ang guilty at ilan ang inosente na pinagbabalik-balik niyo ‘yung mga kailangan na requirements? So far, I identified four regional directors. I think you already removed one,” he said.
“Tama bang sistema ‘yung sa DSWD, ‘yung mga regional directors ang nasusunod. Eh ‘di sana pala kayo na lang mi-neeting namin,” he added.
The Speaker enumerated some of the public’s complaints with the SAP implementation which include: corruption, slow distribution, too many requirements, tedious processes, insensitivity to vulnerable sectors (persons with disability and seniors), high risk of contracting Covid-19, duplication of beneficiaries, lack or breakdown of communication, and confusion among local government units and barangay.
“The question to DSWD is simple, how and when can we get the best assistance in the fastest way? And we will hold you accountable; bureaucrats who simply don’t get it,” Cayetano said.
Under the SAP, 18 million low-income families were supposed to receive cash assistance of P5,000 to P8,000 every month for April and May, depending on the minimum wage rate in the region.
Other sponsors of the resolution are Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte,Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu, Deputy Speaker Dan Fernandez, Deputy Speaker Neptali Gonzales II, House committee on accounts chair Abraham Tolentino, House committee on Metro Manila development chair Manuel Lopez, Manila 5th District Representative, Cristal Bagatsing, and Laguna 2nd District Representative Ruth Mariano Hernandez. (SunStar Philippines)