‘Clean’ beneficiary list demanded

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Thursday it is open to using e-wallets for distributing cash relief, but only if transport companies provide a verified and “clean” list of legitimate drivers.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian stressed that while the agency is not opposed to digital platforms — noting that programs like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) already use them — the current data provided by transport network companies (TNCs) is insufficient.

“We need to verify and validate. First, are these real individuals? Second, are they legitimate drivers?” Gatchalian said, explaining why e-wallets are not currently the primary tool for this distribution.

Gatchalian clarified that the DSWD does not generate the beneficiary lists itself; instead, it relies on data submitted by the TNCs. However, he characterized the submissions received so far as unreliable.

“The DSWD operates on the premise that to ensure proper payout, there must be a clean list,” Gatchalian said. “Unfortunately, the lists being submitted to us by TNCs are junk lists.”