The Office of the Vice President (OVP) said the claims of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian that all assistance requests from the OVP were accommodated were “inaccurate and misleading.”
During a Senate hearing on the proposed P2.037 billion budget for the DSWD for 2025, Gatchalian asserted that communication records between the agencies would confirm that all requests had been fulfilled. This statement was in response to Vice President Sara Duterte’s earlier accusation that the DSWD was “politicizing” the government’s assistance programs.
“While such statements may paint a picture of seamless coordination between our two offices, the reality on the ground tells a different story… There had been several instances when OVP referrals were declined,” the OVP said in a statement.
The OVP highlighted several issues regarding DSWD and its handling of assistance requests. For instance, a request for aid for individuals impacted by the African Swine Flu was turned down by the DSWD, which stated they couldn’t carry out “mass payouts,” despite having done so in other regions with the support of various politicians.
Currently, the OVP reported “7,056 pending applications for the Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and 2,597 pending applications for the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) that were referred to the DSWD Field Office-VI by the OVP Panay and Negros Islands Satellite Office, with no assistance given yet.”
Additionally, clients from the OVP offices in Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor have expressed frustration at not receiving any aid, as they continue to return to the OVP seeking support from the DSWD.
Gatchalian meanwhile stood firm that their office extends assistance to anybody who asks for help as he denied allegations they turned down referral requests for aid from the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
Gatchalian made the remarks when asked to comment on reports that the DSWD rejected referrals for assistance from the OVP.
Gatchalian said the DSWD has already coordinated with the OVP for clarification. He said they can provide screenshots of their conversations to disprove the allegations.
The DSWD chief said they do not politicize helping people as he pointed out that the ones responsible for extending assistance are the licensed social workers, which means their licenses are at risk if they politicize helping those in need.
