DSWD resumes issuance of guarantee letters to assist ‘individuals in crisis situations’
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has resumed the issuance of guarantee letters for people in need of financial aid through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program on Jan. 2.
DSWD Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs and co-spokesperson Irene Dumlao said clients may now proceed to the various DSWD field offices to process their requests for a guarantee letter.
A guarantee letter is issued to service providers in the beneficiary's name to ensure payment of the service on behalf of the client, particularly for medical and burial expenses.
Dumlao urged applicants to ensure that their documents are complete and that they have valid identification cards in order for their requests to be processed more quickly.
“The amount of assistance under GL (guarantee letter) is based on the assessment of a social worker through interview and document review,” she said.
In December 2023, DSWD offices across the country suspended the issuance of guarantee letters to allow for its annual liquidation and payment to service providers who had already provided assistance to beneficiaries.
Although guarantee letter issuance has resumed, the DSWD pointed out that the provision of outright cash to clients has been suspended beginning Jan. 2 in accordance with the Department of Budget and Management’s existing guidelines.
“The suspension of the provision of outright cash under AICS is done at the start of every fiscal year while waiting for the downloading of the DSWD budget based on the provision of the General Appropriations Act or GAA,” Dumlao explained.
She advised the public to stay tuned for further announcements on its website and social media accounts about when it will resume processing and releasing outright cash.