DSWD wants recipients of calamity assistance spared from too many documents

Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo on Saturday said victims of calamities should be spared from being required to submit too many documents and filling out long application forms to get financial assistance from the government.

In an interview on Dobol B TV, Tulfo said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is giving out P10,000 cash assistance under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program for the victims of the magnitude 7 earthquake that hit Northern Luzon on Wednesday.

“Ang hindi ko nagustuhan, mahaba ang form na sinasagutan,” the Cabinet official said.

(What I didn’t like is that the form that needs to be filled out is too long.)

The Social Welfare chief said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. himself was frustrated with the forms that victims need to fill out to get assistance from the government.

“Kaya pinag-utos na natin sa ating mga tauhan na starting Monday, iksian na ang form,” Tulfo said.

(We ordered our personnel that starting Monday, the form should be shortened.)

The DSWD chief said the agency will also seek the help of lawmakers to craft a measure that will exempt victims of calamities from being required to submit too many documents for them to be qualified to receive aid from the government.

“Hihilingin natin sa mga kongresista na kung maaari ay i-exempt na sa maraming dokumento ang pagtugon at pagbibigay ng tulong sa mga nasalanta ng kalamidad,” he said.

(We will request our lawmakers to exempt from submitting too many documents those who will be given assistance during calamities.)

Tulfo also apologized to those who have yet to receive relief assistance from the DSWD, especially those in far-flung areas in Abra.

“I don’t know if the problem is with the local government or the problem is with the DSWD provincial level,” he said.

“Sagot sa amin ng ilang mayor, ‘Paano namin malalaman kung hindi sila lalapit sa amin?’ Ang briefing po sa akin, nasa liblib na lugar kaya kung ‘di sila magsasabi, hindi makakarating,” he added.

(What some mayors told me is that how can they know who needs help if they haven’t reached out. Based on briefings, those people are in far-flung areas, thus if they do not reach out, the assistance cannot reach them.)

Tulfo said he is now investigating the situation to find our what the lapses are in distributing relief.

The number of those who have died due to the earthquake that hit Northern Luzon on Wednesday has risen to 10, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Friday.

Seven towns in Abra were still isolated as of Friday.

The earthquake caused damage to at least 12,000 houses, as well as to infrastructure. —KG, GMA News