DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian and Vice President Sara Duterte. Voltaire F. Domingo, Senate PRIB/House of Representatives

MANILA — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday denied politicizing the distribution of its financial aid, after Vice President Sara Duterte’s office reported that the agency turned down some of its referrals for assistance.   

“Ang aming tanggapan, nakabukas para sa lahat… May referral o wala, lahat ‘yan tinutulungan natin, basta mapatunayan na may pangangailangan,” DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian told TeleRadyo Serbisyo. 

“Walang pinupulitika sa DSWD. Mga social workers natin ang sumusuri kung tutulungan o hindi, kung kailangan o hindi,” he added.

Office of the Vice President (OVP) Director for Operations Norman Baloro on Tuesday said the DSWD had declined a request for assistance for a group whose livelihood was affected by African swine fever. 

“The request was denied because the DSWD claimed that they cannot do ‘mass payout,’ and yet they are able to do it in other areas, together with other politicians,” Baloro said in a statement. 

He added that some DSWD regional offices including those in Negros, Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor have yet to attend to the referrals from OVP satellite offices.      

“There is no clear explanation provided by the DSWD to the OVP referred clients from the Satellite Offices on the delay or inaction on the requests,” Baloro said.  

“To dismiss these unserved clients is to ignore the real challenges many Filipinos face in accessing social services. We call for DSWD’s immediate action to address these gaps and fulfill the government’s obligation to provide aid to every Filipino,” he added. 

Gatchalian said a DSWD assistant secretary in charge of coordinating with partners was ready to disclose screenshots of months-long conversations on referrals to show that these were not ignored. 

He added that the incidents identified by Baloro were being reviewed.  

'Kalaban 'yan?' DSWD to investigate claims OVP referrals being rejected

DSWD: OVP exec clueless about Duterte's claim of 'rejected' referrals

Gatchalian also addressed a separate incident in which Zamboanga City First District Rep. Khymer Adan Olaso reportedly kneeled in front of a local DSWD official and appealed for the release of aid for some 1,500 beneficiaries. 

“In-assure naman siya na magaganap ang payout, pero nagpumilit kasi siya na sa araw na ‘yun, e hindi pa nga tapos ang pagre-review,” the DSWD chief said. 

“Si Congressman Olaso, doon sa hearing, sabi niya ‘pondo ko.’ …Yun ang nagiging problema. Sa isip ni Congressman Olaso, may pondo siya sa amin. Wala siyang pondo sa amin,” he added.