Go presses DSWD's Gatchalian on 'selective' aid distribution

Senator Bong Go on Tuesday questioned Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian over the supposed "selective" distribution of government aid and if this was in preparation for a run for public office.

At a Senate hearing on the bills institutionalizing the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), Go pointed to a case in General Santos City where the validated lists of beneficiaries had been submitted since July last year but the payout was said to be delayed for many months.

Go alleged that the cash assistance was given to the beneficiaries only when Gatchalian personally visited them and the amount was even doubled.

"Merong due don for payout na dapat nang ibigay sa kanila... Naka-hold 'yon for how many months and then nung pumunta ka, dinoble mo. Dinagdagan mo, dinoble mo. Pwede pala 'yung ganon kasi ikaw 'yung pumunta. General Santos City, sir," Go said.

"Nagiging selective kayo, secretary. One more question, hindi ba to nagagamit sa pulitika ninyo? One question for the record, are you running for the Senate?" the senator asked the DSWD chief.

Gatchalian replied that he was not running for the Senate nor any other elective office in the upcoming elections.

"[I]n fact, I even wrote all the public polling firms to remove me from the list," the DSWD chief responded.

"Categorically, I'm not using the office for my politics and I categorically state I'm not running for any position this coming election," he added.

When asked if he was running in the 2028 elections, Gatchalian responded by asking DSWD Director Edwin Morata to provide updates on the list of AICS beneficiaries that the senator was talking about.

Gatchalian also explained that what was released in General Santos City late last year was an emergency cash transfer because of the earthquake that struck the province.

"That's why the amount is bigger. Hindi po ako nag-release ng AICS. In fact, the mayors came to me, we met them with the governor. Emergency cash transfer po yung ni-release," he explained.

Gatchalian admitted that there were delays to their commitment to Go on the AICS payouts, but this was because of what he called "kinks" in their Financial Management Office.

"A while ago, may inamin ako na may problema sa Financial Management Office, that's why we were having cash shortfalls in some of our regions. And we have addressed that. Aminado po kami there were delays to the commitment to the senator but we have all intentions of paying those lists that have been vetted and checked already," Gatchalian said.

Despite the explanation, Go insisted that the beneficiaries had waited for months to receive the AICS, adding that the assistance was the people's money.

Gatchalian responded, "We don't treat it as our money. We know it's people's money." 

Go again asked why there was a delay in the payout for beneficiaries in General Santos City.

"Bakit niyo pinapatagal? Because of politics!" said Go. 

"Senator, we have no intentions of withholding. In fact, last year if you look at our disbursement rate and our obligation rate, nagamit po lahat yan," responded Gatchalian. — DVM, GMA Integrated News