Senator Christopher "Bong" Go has thrown his support behind a Senate resolution filed by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri urging the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to fast-track the release of its available funds to help Filipinos in distress whose lives have been severely affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic as well as the recent calamities. 

All of the senators were made co-authors of the Zubiri resolution during its passage at the Senate plenary session yesterday.  

"Sunud-sunod po na bagyo ang tumama sa ating bansa sa gitna ng ating laban sa COVID-19, kaya kailangan po nating mas pabilisin ang pagbibigay ng pondo para sa ating mga kababayan na apektado ng mga bagyo at ng COVID-19," Go said during his manifestation submitted during the Senate plenary yesterday. (There is an immediate need to fasttrack the release of DSWD funds to our countrymen severely affected by a series of typhoons that hit the country in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic.)  

Go said he visited typhoon victims and personally witnessed their struggles to recover from the recent calamities.

"Ako mismo ay nagpunta sa Catanduanes, Marikina, Bulacan, at Rizal province kamakailan lamang para magbigay ng tulong sa panahon ng kanilang pagdadalamhati," Go said. (I recently went to Catanduanes, Marikina, and Rizal province to give assistance during their time of need.)

"Sa katunayan ay patuloy pa rin po ang pagbibigay natin ng tulong sa mga lugar na nasalanta ng bagyo," he added. (I continue to give assistance to areas that were hit by the typhoons.)

Go acknowledged the DSWD's continuing public service to Filipinos amid the recent typhoons and ongoing pandemic. He urged it to closely monitor and expedite the release of the much-needed funds and services to help Filipinos recover from these challenges. 

"To the DSWD, nagpapasalamat po ako sa serbisyo ninyo sa ating mga kababayan. Ang paalala ko lang po, mas paigtingin pa po natin ito at tutukan. Siguraduhing maibigay agad ang serbisyo sa taumbayan," he said. (To the DSWD, I am thankful for your services to our countrymen. As a reminder, please make your services felt.)

Go added that the Senate urgently passed the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act so that necessary resources could be made available to help Filipinos in need, speed up economic recovery, and enhance the country’s continuing fight against COVID-19.

"The allocations must be released immediately and be utilized to help Filipinos in need," he said.

In a press statement, the DSWD explained that the unspent P83- billion balance from its 2020 budget that was raised during a Senate budget hearing has been programmed for the implementation of various programs, activities, and projects for the remaining months of this year.

These include the P40 billion allotted for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), P2.1 billion for its Supplementary Feeding Program for Children, P 2.6 billion for its Sustainable Livelihood Program, P 3.9 billion for Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens, and P13.7 billion for Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation Program.

The DSWD also emphasized that “these are all programmed funds indicated in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) which can only be modified upon receiving an approval from the DBM.”

The DSWD also cited that the COVID-19 pandemic, imposed Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases guidelines, mobility challenges, constraints on manpower/resources of LGUs and other government agencies, Commission on Audit rules, Memorandum of Agreement commitments, counter-checking measures to ensure transparency/accountability, re-bidding difficulties, logistical problems, and community health risks as a result of the pandemic, and the series of typhoons, have hampered and adversely affected the implementation of its various programs, activities, and services.

The Department, however, assured the public that “it is exerting its best efforts to expedite the utilization of the funds for their intended purpose within the fiscal year.”

The DSWD added that it has “painstakingly taken into consideration the necessary procedures and provisions of the law, to ensure that a lawful and judicious spending of government resources reach its intended rightful beneficiaries.”

Go appealed to the national government to assist local government units (LGUs) affected by typhoon ‘’Ulysses’’ by augmenting their calamity funds equivalent to one percent of their respective Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).

"I reiterate my appeal, tulungan po natin ‘yung mga typhoon-affected LGUs na wala na pong calamity fund para po magamit nila pambili ng pagkain, pambili po ng gamot, at pangtulong sa ating mga kababayan na nasalanta nitong mga nakaraang bagyo. Lalo na po ‘yung mga LGUs na tinamaan ng bagyong Rolly at Ulysses," he added. (I reiterate my appeal, help the typhoon-affected LGUs that have no calamity funds to be used to buy food, medicines, and assistance to our countrymen affected by the series of typhoons, particularly the LGUs hit by typhoons ‘’Rolly’’ and ‘’Ulysses.’’)

Go said most of the calamity funds of LGUs have been depleted due to the unexpected pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that continues to affect the lives of Filipinos.

He also appealed to the public to continue helping each other amid the current problems the country is facing.