Metro Manila (CNN Philipines, April 14) — Senators and congressmen called on government agencies to recalibrate poverty estimates and enhance coordination with local government units on aid distribution, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte gave his updates on COVID-19 response.
Members of the Senate on Tuesday slammed the snail-paced distribution of cash subsidy that is intended for the 18 million low income families who were seriously affected by the Luzon-wide lockdown.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said while the national government is doing its best, the problem lies in the coordination between the Department of Social Welfare and some LGUs.
“The delay is because of the DSWD and LGU coordination,” Sotto said in a message to reporters. “I think the government is doing its best, but more than just cooperation is needed in some LGUs.”
For Senator Joel Villanueva, the distribution of up to ₱8,000 cash aid can be targeted per area instead of per household, as consolidating the list of all beneficiaries takes up so much time.
“Right now, we should prioritize area targeting for assistance distribution instead of household or individual targeting,” Villanueva said. “Example, all households in Payatas are poor. Let’s give all of them assistance now instead of wasting time generating lists.”
Meanwhile, for House Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero, the DSWD and the Department of Finance should use more statistical references and expand the coverage of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program to get more realistic response measures.
“Kailangang i-recalibrate ang 4Ps estimates,” Romero said in a statement. “Maaaring dumoble rin ang unemployment numbers. Kaya kailangan talagang mag-census ulit.”
[Translation: The 4Ps estimates should be recalibrated. Unemployment numbers may have doubled. So we need to do another census.]
Citing Duterte’s latest report to the Joint Oversight Committee on the Bayanihan to Heal as One Law, congressmen of the Makabayan bloc noted that only around one-fourth of the target beneficiaries has been reached despite clamor to expedite government efforts.
“We in the Makabayan bloc strongly deplore this continued and inexcusable delay in economic relief programs for the vast majority of families suffering under the enhanced community quarantine,” said the group, which consists of lawmakers from Bayan Muna, ACT-Teachers, Gabriela, and Kabataan Partylist.
They claimed that only over 4 million out of the 18 million households have received aid through the social amelioration program, three weeks after the Bayanihan law was enacted.
Duterte’s report stated that this includes the 3.72 million out of 4.4 million 4Ps families; 40,418 beneficiaries of the Department of Transportation’s emergency subsidies to drivers of public utility vehicles and transport network vehicle services; 300,994 beneficiaries of the Rice Farmer’s Financial Assistance Program and 18,495 beneficiaries of Financial Subsidy for Rice Farmers, both by the Department of Agriculture; 167,841 recipients of the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program; and 118,086 beneficiaries of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers by the Department of Labor and Employment.
Social Welfare Undersecretary Camilo Gudmalin told CNN Philippines on Monday that they are still targeting to reach out to 9 million more families this week.
The Philippines has 5,223 COVID-19 cases, with 335 deaths and 295 recoveries to date.
