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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Visayas devider DSWD says cash aid deduction in Iloilo City systematic

DSWD says cash aid deduction in Iloilo City systematic

Published Nov 24, 2025 06:22 pm
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian and DSWD Assistant Secretary Paul Ledesma. (DSWD)
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian and DSWD Assistant Secretary Paul Ledesma. (DSWD)
ILOILO CITY – A fact-finding team of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) initially found the alleged deduction of cash aid by barangay officials in Iloilo City to be systematic.
“It makes me think it is organized and pre-planned,” said DSWD Assistant Secretary for Regional Operations Paul D. Ledesma, who led the fact-finding team.
Barangay officials were accused of forcibly taking P8,000 of the P10,000 cash aid to beneficiaries of the DSWD Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), leaving them with only P2,000.
The DSWD distributed P21 million in assistance at P10,000 each to 2,100 victims of typhoon ‘‘Tino’’ in Iloilo City earlier this month.
“This is double whammy for them. They were victims of the typhoon and they became victims of barangay officials,” Ledesma told Manila Bulletin in a phone interview on Monday, Nov. 24.
Ledesma said they did not release AICS onsite and the validated beneficiaries were based on the request submitted by the Iloilo City government.
Recipients said they were chased by barangay officials after they received assistance and the barangay captain or ‘’kagawad’’ or councilor would order them to the barangay hall or to a house and then P8,000.
Ledesma said there are other barangay officials who initially took P9,000. But the next day, P1,000 was returned to beneficiaries.
“This only shows this is orchestrated with barangay officials taking the same amount of P8,000 from beneficiaries,” added Ledesma, who is from Iloilo.
The DSWD is determining who is in control as barangay officials have been given instructions on how to handle the AICS issue.
There were also messages circulating on how barangay officials will answer members of the media inquiring about the controversy.
Ledesma assured DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian is taking the issue seriously.
The DSWD fact-finding team will soon release its findings as it prepares to file criminal and administrative charges against erring barangay officials.

Related Tags

Iloilo City AICS
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