00:00The Department of Social Welfare and Development promised that there will be an open future for those in need.
00:07In the face of suspension of some programs in the aid of the agency because of the upcoming election campaign.
00:13This is what Grenzel Bocobo of IBC 13 has to say.
00:20The Department of Social Welfare and Development promised Secretary Rex Gatchalian
00:24that their financial aid is only to help those in need and not in politics.
00:32The Department of Social Welfare and Development promised that social workers will be the beneficiaries of their programs and not just anyone.
00:40This will not be used in politics because it will assess who is qualified or not qualified,
00:46how much will be given by our social workers.
00:50There may be a referral or no referral.
00:52At the end of the day, the gatekeeper of the financial aid is the social workers who are trained.
00:57It is their profession to assess if the person is qualified or not qualified.
01:02In the face of the aid distribution ban of the Comelec,
01:05Secretary Gatchalian explained that the agency only suspended the Assistance to Individuals on Crisis Situation or AICS program.
01:14That is why the door of DSWD is still open to provide assistance to those in need.
01:20Not because there is an election, we will stop.
01:22If not, the program will stop.
01:24But our campaign, our role in social protection, social welfare, that is what was given an exemption.
01:31According to Comelec Chairman George Garcia,
01:3445 days before the midterm elections, social services are no longer allowed.
01:40Except for the agencies that passed the exemption request,
01:45like DSWD, Department of Labor and Employment, and Department of Health.
01:51So far, almost all government agencies are asking for exemptions.
01:55We are not stopping the implementation of projects.
01:59We have established criteria in Comelec.
02:02What is important to us is that it is clear who is the beneficiary,
02:04what is the covered period of benefits,
02:07how much is involved,
02:08and what are the imposed parameters or guidelines so that it will not be abused.
02:14If how much assistance is given,
02:17it should also be the exact amount that the beneficiaries will receive
02:22because the agency will not follow the criminal case.
02:27From IBC 13, Quenzel Bocobo.
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