The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will continue providing medical and burial assistance to Filipinos who will be needing these services during the 10-day ‘ayuda’ ban imposed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from May 2 to 10 leading to the May 12 elections.
DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the agency’s medical and burial aid are the only forms of assistance allowed by the Comelec in the 10-day ‘ayuda’ ban.
“While our Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) and Ayuda sa Kapos Ang Kita Program (AKAP) are among the government aid that have been placed under the ‘ayuda’ ban, the Comelec has given exemption to our medical and burial aid provisions,” the DSWD spokesperson explained.
The provision of both medical and burial assistance was earlier given exemptions from the polls spending ban in a memorandum issued by the Comelec last March 18.
The DSWD spokesperson expressed her gratitude to the Comelec’s decision to exempt the medical and burial assistance from the ban, citing these two services ensure timely provision of needed aid to qualified beneficiaries.
“This is a big thing for us kasi ito yung mga assistance na kinakailangan po talagang maibigay sa mga kababayan natin may election man o wala. Ibig sabihin lamang nito, patuloy na magagampanan ng DSWD ang mandato nito at makakapagbigay ng maagap at mapagkalingang serbisyo sa mga mamamayang Pilipino,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao explained.
Both the funeral and medical assistance are given to individuals either disbursed in cash or guarantee letter to cover the needs of the clients, subject to the assessment of social workers.
Under the AICS, which has served over 7 million individuals in 2024, medical assistance is among the three most-sought after services by the public.
Asst. Secretary Dumlao said the DSWD will make sure that the continuity of the exempted aid will be in full-compliance with the Comelec’s conditions, including the barring of elective officials and or candidates/aspirants from distribution of cash assistance.
“The DSWD is firm on ensuring that our safeguards are fully-implemented to protect all of our programs and services from any form of political partisanship,” the DSWD spokesperson pointed out. (LSJ)