PALACE Press Officer Claire Castro expressed apprehension over the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) proposal to shift emergency cash aid disbursements to e-wallets, following the death of a 31-year-old beneficiary last March 11, 2026, while queuing at the Opao Gymnasium in Mandaue City.
The digitalization initiative, intended to replace physical cash distribution, was prompted by the tragic collapse and death of Mary Christ Cuizon during the Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program’s validation process.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, March 17, at the Bagong Pilipinas Studios Visayas in Cebu City, Castro described the incident as unfortunate and said the DSWD will provide burial and other forms of assistance to Cuizon’s family. The Palace also extended its condolences to the family; Cuizon was a mother of four.
Castro said DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian informed her of the incident on March 16 and confirmed that the agency is pushing for the use of e-wallets for disbursements.
However, Castro cautioned that validation of beneficiaries during disasters and emergencies remains problematic. Unlike the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), whose beneficiaries are pre-validated, the list for programs like the ECT is temporary and constantly changing.
“In times of disasters, such as the current situation where our citizens need assistance, the categories differ and the individuals on the list are not permanent,” Castro said in Tagalog.
During emergencies, local governments and field officers must quickly identify beneficiaries, often without centralized or updated records, leaving the system vulnerable to duplication, exclusion, or manipulation.
To prevent similar incidents, Castro urged beneficiaries, especially those with illnesses, to avoid physically lining up for validation or distribution. She said they could instead send representatives with authorization letters and ID cards.
“Our only request to our fellow Filipinos is not to take advantage of or deceive the government and our fellow citizens by using fake authorization letters or IDs,” Castro said.
“Please do not scam those who are genuinely in need of assistance from the government,” she added.
Meanwhile, Mandaue City officials debunked claims that a 30-minute delay by first responders led to Cuizon’s death, citing reviewed closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.
Mayor Thadeo “Jonkie” Ouano ordered a probe on the incident, to be led by City Legal Officer Erwin Rommel Heyrosa, after claims surfaced that emergency personnel took too long to assist Cuizon.
Cuizon had gone to the Opao Gym for verification of DSWD’s P5,000 ECT for survivors of typhoon Tino, which hit Cebu in November 2025. Reports said her father claimed it took roughly 30 minutes before anyone attended to her and that CPR was administered too late.
The Mandaue City Public Affairs Office said CCTV footage showed Cuizon losing consciousness around 12:03 p.m., with initial aid provided three minutes later by a responder and a Barangay Opao nurse. At 12:13 p.m., the Opao Emergency Rescue Team arrived and the victim was transported to an ambulance at 12:20 p.m. en route to Mandaue City Hospital.
Ouano urged anyone with photos or videos of the incident to share them on the City’s official Facebook page to help reconstruct the timeline.
In line with DSWD guidelines, the City’s Social Welfare Services Office extended assistance to Cuizon’s family and arranged for her father to return to City Hall for work to support their daily needs.
The City Government will also ask the DSWD to re-validate beneficiaries after reports that some flood victims were excluded from the aid list. / EHP, DPC