De Lima to DSWD: Don't pass the buck on slow COVID-19 aid to LGUs

Senator Leila De Lima on Thursday slammed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for passing the responsibility to the local government units on the slow distribution of cash assistance to poor families amid the enhanced community quarantine.

"Parang magkasalungat ang impormasyon galing kay DSWD Secretary Bautista at ‘yung from the LGUs. Ang sabi sa ground, DSWD ang magulo—may quota system, uses outdated 2015 census, very limited SAC forms," De Lima said in a message to GMA News Online.

"Parang set up daw sabi ng ilang mayors. Defective from the start sa DSWD kasi wala ngang matinong database. Balak bang ibaling ang sisi sa mga LGUs, including barangay officials, ang apparently ay kapalpakan na nag-umpisa sa itaas?" she added. "Mukhang hindi lang virus ang naiipasa ah–pati responsibilidad."

Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista on Thursday said the lack of adequate information from the local government units regarding their constituents slowed down the distribution of financial aid under the national government's social amelioration program.

"Siguro ang ine-expect po namin noon na ang LGU ay they have the profile, the names, the work, and other livelihood activities ng kanilang mga nasasakupan," Bautista said in a briefing aired past midnight.

"Dahil po hindi rin nila masyadong kabisado o sabihin din nating may kakulangan sa mga listahan nayon, dito na rin po nagkaroon ng problema," he added.

Bautista later on said it is not the time for the "blame game."

The League of the Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), on the other hand, defended the local government units.

"Hindi naman talaga mabe-blame 'yung barangay and municipal officials kasi ginagawa naman po nila 'yung magagawa nila. At ang nakalagay daw po sa circular, seven days kailangan maibigay na," LPP president and Marinduque Governor Presbitero Velasco Jr. said.

"Pero sa hirap ng pinapagawa  at maraming nagke-claim at marami pong iba-ibang klaseng tao na nakapaloob sa informal economy workers at vulnerable sectors ay may katagalan po talaga," he added.

The social amelioration program amid the health emergency targets to benefit 18 million low-income households in the country but the local government leaders found it challenging to distribute the aid as their respective databases do not match that of the national government's estimate.

The Department of Finance said the number was based on the DSWD's 2015 data and was adjusted upwards for population growth. —LDF, GMA News