The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) cited Monday the crucial role of local government units in its uninterrupted and continued implementation of social protection programs in this pandemic.
DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said the agency has been coordinating with the LGUs to ensure the delivery of much needed assistance to the vulnerable sectors, particularly to the senior citizens.
"Una- una sa regular program natin actually ang malaking gampanin diyan ng ating LGU kasi ang ginagawa ng DSWD nakikipagcoordinate kami sa kanila at most of the time, pag sinasabi natin na big venue payout hindi namin nirerequire ang senior citizens, 'yung talagang hindi na kayang makapunta sa payout area,” he said during the “Laging Handa” network briefing.
(First of all, in the implementation of our regular programs, our LGUs have big role because what the DSWD is doing is we are coordinating with them, and most of the time, once we say big venue payout, we are not requiring senior citizens to go, most especially those who cannot go to the payout area)
He reminded senior citizens to send their representatives in their behalf to claim any assistance or grants from the DSWD.
Bautista said representatives only have to submit a certification showing that she or he is authorized to claim the aid in behalf of the elderly.
“Ngayong pandemya, kung ang isang senior citizen ay kayang magunta sa payout area, o kaya sa mga bangko or remittance centers , kinocoordinate namin 'yan sa mga local governemnt units para makapunta dun sa pinakamalapit na payout area,” Bautista said.
(This time of pandemic, if one senior citizen can go to the payout area, or to the banks or remittance centers, we coordinate it with the local government units so that they can go to the nearest payout area)
Bautista said that in coordination with the LGUs, the DSWD also adopted a house-to-house delivery scheme in areas placed under lockdown to benefit the senior citizens.
“Kaya kinocoordinate namin ‘yan sa lokal na pamahalaan para payagan kami na mag house-to-house. ‘Yan ang pamaraan para masigurado natin na hindi mahirapan ang ating senior citizens and at the same time, masigurado natin na sila mismo at makakarating sa kanila ang ayuda ng ating gobyerno,” he said.
(We are coordinating it with the local government to allow the house-to-house distribution. That’s one way to ensure that the senior citizens will not be burdened, and at the same time, ensure that they themselves receive the aid and that the aid of the government will reach them)
“Kung hindi po cooperative ang lokal pamahalaan, baka hindi namin magampanan ang aming tungkulin para sa ating kababayan,” Bautista said.
(If the local government is not cooperative, we could have not fulfilled our duties to our countrymen)
He said P8.5 billion in social pension has been extended to indigent senior citizens nationwide.
The DSWD extended P1.9 billion in cash assistance to distressed individuals under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program.
Bautista said so far, the DSWD has distributed more than P83.1 billion in emergency cash subsidies to over 13.9 million beneficiaries in the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).