Barangay tanods eligible for social amelioration program — DSWD exec

Local peace and order officers or barangay tanods are eligible for the government's social amelioration program for low-income families during the COVID-19 crisis, a government official said Thursday.

Camilo Gudmalin, undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), said they have modified their guidelines to include barangay tanod in the emergency subsidy program.

Barangay health workers, on the other hand, are ineligible, he said.

"'Yung ating mga health worker dahil kasama sila sa Magna Carta for Health Workers at nabigyan sila ng malaking sahod or honorarium, hindi sila mapabilang dito sa ating sa social amelioration program," Gudmalin said at a livestreamed briefing. 

"Subalit ang ating mga tanod na tumatanggap lang ng honorarium, lalong-lalo na ang mga tanod sa maliliit na barangay, sa pagkonsulta natin sa Department of the Interior and Local Government, napagpasyahan ng ating secretary na i-modify ang ating omnibus guidelines para mapasama na ang mga barangay tanod dito sa ating social amelioration program," he added.

Around 18 million low-income households and those in the informal sector will be targeted to receive monthly cash subsidies of P5,000 to P8,000 for two months as mandated by the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, the new law granting President Rodrigo Duterte additional powers to address the COVID-19 emergency.

The government has released more than P60 billion to 1,228 local government units, which are in charge of distributing the cash assistance. 

Gudmalin also said the DSWD has spent P67.5 million for COVID-19 related concerns, such as medical and burial assistance, and distributed 400,201 family food packs worth P156.11 million.

The DSWD said Thursday that it will validate beneficiaries after -- instead of before -- the payout of subsidies. The change is meant to expedite aid distribution, the department said. — RSJ, GMA News