‘Corruption’ in distribution of gov’t amelioration funds

EDITORIAL

The Departments of Social and Welfare and Development and Labor and Employment among other government offices down to barangays have been the object of criticism the past weeks for alleged haphazard and inefficient distribution of “social amelioration” funds among others due to Covid-19.

Netizens and pundits have accused government officials of corruption in distribution of funds.

In the Cordillera, reports from all provinces have cast doubts on how the government allotment was used. According to government announcements, more than P200 billion nationwide was used to address needs of people like food.

Some reported through social media they didn’t receive assistance in terms of funds or goods from government or through its agencies like the DSWD or the Dept. of Labor and employment. 

This, as the Cordillera DSWD regional office reported an additional 50,000 family food packs (FFPs) from its Central Office according to a Philippine Information Agency report.

Many Cordillera constituents are wondering how this will be distributed,

DSWD – Cordillera regional director Leo Quintilla, in a media briefing last week in Baguio City reported that materials for the production of 25,000 FPPs have arrived from DSWD Central and they have coordinated with the National Food Authority to purchase rice.

                The delivery of food materials for another 25,000 FFPs is expected this week for augmentation in the province of Apayao, Abra and Ifugao, he said.

                Quintilla explained relief goods for Covid-19 affected families will be shouldered initially by local government units.

He said the DSWD comes in only if the LGUs have exhausted their emergency/calamity funds and they request for augmentation.

Per DSWD monitoring in Cordillera as of April 16, regional LGUs reported a total of 1,187 barangays with 379,091 families (including 60,164 household beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) or 1,518,968 individuals as part of the COVID-affected population in the region.

                He added a total of 18,760 FFPs was given by the DSWD – Cordillera to affected communities in the region. There are reportedly still 22,156 FFPs to be given in the region.

With the coming in of 50,000 more FPPs from the DSWD Central Office, the Cordillera regional office will have more than enough stockpile for relief operation and for any emergency, according to Quintilla. DSWD Cordillera reportedly maintains a P3 million quick reaction fund.

                On the Social Amelioration Program, Quintilla said  DSWD – Cordillera has already downloaded around P1.3 billion for the cash subsidy of verified and qualified beneficiaries in all the 77 LGUs (two cities and 75 municipalities) in Cordillera.

Distribution is reportedly ongoing in all the provinces in the region.  As per April 16 data of DSWD – CAR, around P77.88 million SAP fund has already been dispersed to 14,226 families in the different provinces in the region.

According to Quintilla, in  addition to the 60,164 4Ps beneficiaries in the region, the SAP cash subsidy of P5,500 is set to benefit 40,825 families in Abra; 11,915 in Apayao; 45,000 in Baguio City; 59,962 in Benguet; 27,228 in Ifugao; 25,088 in Kalinga and 27,371 in Mountain Province.

These are DSWD figures for Cordillera alone. But as netizens are pointing out any government agency could come up with figures on how they disbursed funds to address needs of the people due to Covid-19.

They say there must be an efficient way to audit the funds from the local to the national level and presented to the people in a transparent manner like posting names of beneficiaries and how much they were given.

This, considering that some names in lists are fictitious or those of the dead. Netizens are asking: Who got the money for the dead?