Solon seeks probe into DSWD-Starpay tie-up in cash aid payout

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate has urged the House of Representatives to investigate the multi-billion distribution of cash aid by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through its financial service provider (FSP) Starpay.

Zarate said House Resolution 2146 was filed by the Makabayan bloc in August to look into the alleged anomalous distribution of assistance under the government's Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

The resolution noted that the Duterte administration has been criticized for its slow distribution of cash assistance, which is mandated Republic Act No. 11469.

It said the DSWD only targeted 14.3 million families for the delivery of the second tranche of the SAP.

Citing information from the Commission on Audit, the resolution said the DSWD allegedly failed to post the complete list of SAP beneficiaries paid through FSPs and special disbursing officer payout on the agency's live monitoring and the agency's official website, which raise the possibility of double payment of the emergency subsidy program.

"As it is, with the ayuda for the last ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) in August just recently finished its distribution after two months since it was lifted, it is imperative to probe the slow distribution of the aid and why is this so? Are these funds deposited in private banks and used to gather interests?" Zarate said in a statement.

"Hindi maaaring babagal-bagal sa pamamahagi ng ayuda sa mga naghihirap nating kababayan dahil buhay at kamatayan para sa kanila ang nakataya dito at di dapat pinagkakakitaan," he added.

(Aid distribution at the time of pandemic should be done without delay as it is about the daily survival of affected families.)

During a Senate budget hearing, senators questioned the DSWD over its partnership with Starpay, with Senator Manny Pacquiao saying that Starpay was tapped by the DSWD to distribute more than P50 billion for the second SAP.

Pacquiao said only a few people had downloaded the Starpay app as compared to the reach of other financial service providers like G-Cash and PayMaya.

Senator Francis Pangilinan, for his part, said this might be a case similar to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, a small firm with a start-up capital of P650,000, that managed to secure billions worth of government contracts for the purchase of COVID-19 items. —LBG, GMA News