Alias “Marie” feels bad about a certain cut made to the “ayuda” (cash aid) she received as food assistance, but said she could do very little about the way things turned out after the distribution.

Alias “Marie,” a resident of Barangay Tacas, Jaro, Iloilo City said that she received P10,000, but most of the amount vanished into thin air after a staff member of a barangay ‘kagawad’ allegedly took away the P8,900.

She narrated that the incident happened after a payout at the third floor of the Iloilo City Hall. When she went down the city hall, an alleged staff member of a barangay councilman of Tacas, Jaro got the P8,900.

“Kinuha niya ang P10,000. Tapos pagkuha niya ng P10,000 ibinalik niya sa amin P1,100 lang. So nagtaka kami. Tapos sinabihan niya kami na para daw ‘yun sa mga hospital bill,” Marie said.

Alias “Inday,” a resident of Barangay San Juan, Molo District, said she was informed she is a beneficiary of cash assistance worth P10,000, but she would receive P1,000 only.

Alias “Inday” said that an employee of the Iloilo City Hall took her in, along with other beneficiaries, for the payout.

The incident, she added, happened during the payout in the District of Arevalo, led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Alias “Inday” admitted that the barangay does not know of the said payout.

After receiving P10,000, the P9,000 was taken away from her.

“Sa atin pala yung P10,000, bakit nila ginanun? Sabi nga sa akin ng kaibigan ko, “day, parang hindi tama. Parang ginamit lang ang pangalan natin,” Inday said.

The issue took the chairman of Barangay Tacas, Jaro by surprise. Barangay Tacas Chairman Joseph Poral said he does not know anyone listing beneficiaries of the DSWD cash aid in his jurisdiction, and of the barangay councilman being tagged.

“Wala akong alam diyan, wala akong ideya kung sino ang naglista sa kanila at kung sino ang kagawad na kumuha ng P8,900 upang itulong sa financial assistance ng mga residente,” Poral said.

Meanwhile, Barangay San Juan Chairman Jose Martin Maloto, said that no DSWD payout was set for their residents for the food assistance, or anything about AICS [Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation].

”Wala talaga kasi kung tungkol sa DSWD, nagva-validate naman tayo sa mga residente. Mula Bagyong Christine, Bagyong Tino, at Bagyong Uwan, walang na-release,” Maloto pointed out.

As of this writing, about four formal complaints on illegal cuts done to the cash aids have reached DSWD 6. Following the complaints, the agency has recommended a temporary halt to the distribution.

"Ang mga complaint na na-receive namin, it will undergo sa thorough na validation at gathering ng supporting documents. Then after that, we will recommend sa proper authority. Actually, we recommend na i-stop muna para at least magkaroon siya ng kalinawan muna,” according to Joselito Estember, DSWD 6 director.

Further, in a message sent by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian to GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas, he assured that the regional office is looking into the complaints to establish the identities of persons behind the illegal activity.