The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) today clarified that a photo circulating on social media implying that Presidential Assistant, Secretary Christopher “Bong” Go, distributed relief goods allegedly from the Department to the victims of the fire incident which occurred in Barangay 402, Sampaloc, Manila, was uploaded with malicious intent.

Sec. Go went to the barangay in the afternoon of July 3 bringing his promised assistance, such as food, grocery packs, bags, clothes and financial assistance for the 270 families or 822 individuals affected by the fire which razed 80 houses at M.V. Delos Santos Street in Sampaloc, Manila.

It was also during this time that the local government was distributing the relief goods provided by DSWD-National Capital Region as augmentation assistance to the city government. The DSWD provided a total of ₱105,114.00 worth of assistance to the affected families.

According to Secretary Virginia N. Orogo, Sec. Go personally distributed his own goods upon the instruction of President Rodrigo R. Duterte. While he helped distribute goods from the DSWD, he never claimed these as his.

Sec. Go also went to other areas affected by disaster with his friends to distribute goods, not just in Sampaloc, Manila.

Sec. Orogo stated that “Everybody is welcome to help during times of disaster.”

Sec. Orogo also appealed to the public that such photos should not be taken literally, rather “We should be discerning of the motive involved in uploading and disseminating the photo.” ###