Press Release
April 2, 2020

Dispatch from Crame No. 760:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima on the Need for Clear Guidelines from DSWD re: distribution of food and cash assistance

All eyes - especially those of the 18 million families - are on the DSWD now. In Duterte's speech last night, he said: "Ibinigay ko kay Secretary Bautista lahat na yan [pera at pagkain] kasi itong DSWD may sariling distribution network na yan, 'yung Pantawid."

Yes, DSWD has the distribution network, but is it an efficient one? And, given now that the clientele of DSWD has more than tripled under the Bayanihan Law, can that distribution network and system adapt? Do we even have the database already for those 18 million families? Do we have clear guidelines for the Social Amelioration Program?

The report, as of last week (March 24-27), pointed to the slow disbursement of pay-outs to 4Ps beneficiaries, where the DSWD was only able to release the cash assistance for the period of Dec. 2019 to Jan. 2020. Hinihintay pa po ng ating 4Ps beneficiaries ang ayuda nila para sa Pebrero at Marso. Abril na po ngayon.

Ang backlog na ito ay sa 4Ps program pa lang para sa 4.4 milyong pamilya. How will the DSWD fulfill the requirement of distributing cash assistance and food to 18 million households, under the Bayanihan Law?

Please don't get me wrong. Gaya ng marami nating kababayan, hangad ko po ang tagumpay ng DSWD at ng lahat ng mga tumutugon sa mga hamon ng krisis na dulot ng COVID-19. Pero naghihintay po ng tunay na liderato ang mga Pilipino - iyong matino, magaling, masipag, at maaasahan.

We've already witnessed the effects of desperation when residents of Sitio San Roque - an urban poor settlement located in the heart of Quezon City - were unjustly arrested for staging a demonstration and forming a human barricade along EDSA to demand from the government the assistance that had been promised.

DSWD plays a very critical role in the government's response to the ongoing crisis. I hope and pray that it is up to the challenge. Tapusin nyo na po ang backlog sa 4Ps pay-outs. Ayusin nyo na po ang database, mapping, and distribution system para sa 18 milyong pamilyang umaasa na sa ayuda at pagkain. Ilabas nyo na po ang mga klaro at detalyadong patakaran sa pamimigay para sa kaayusan ng lahat, lalo na ng mga kawani ng DSWD, mga tauhan ng LGUs, at ang napakaraming Pilipinong lubos na umaasa po sa inyo.

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