Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 20) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development says it is backing a move to make public the names of cash aid beneficiaries for transparency.
At a briefing Monday, DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said he supported the order Interior Secretary Eduardo Año made over the weekend of publishing the names and posting them where they can be easily seen.
“Sinusuportahan namin ang aksyon na ginawa ng DILG, lalo na ang direktiba ni Kalihim Año na inutusan niya ang mga LGU na ang ating mga barangay ay maglabas ng listahan ng mga benpisyaryo, yung kanilang amount na ni-receive, at ipaskil ito sa mga conspicuous places,” he said.
[Translation: We support the action done by the DILG, especially the directive of Secretary Año who ordered LGUs fopr barangays to release a list of the beneficiaries as well as the amounts they have received and post these in conspicuous places.]
Apart from transparency, Bautista said beneficiaries and those who are qualified to receive the cash aid will be identified.
On Saturday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government ordered all barangay captains to create a list of social amelioration program beneficiaries for transparency purposes.
Año emphasized the importance of having a master list of SAP beneficiaries, fully disclosed by barangay heads, to give residents a chance to give feedback if they think they should be part of the list.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III also pushed for the idea, but said the DSWD should publish on its website a list of individuals who have received cash aid, as well as the area already covered since it started distributing the SAP.
Soto said doing so would prove that cash aid has already been given and received by those qualified.
READ: DSWD to assess appeals from people who believe they should receive cash aid
