Gatchalian: Mechanisms in place to prevent corruption in DSWD

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian emphasized Monday that there are stringent mechanisms in place that prevent corruption in the DSWD's delivery of programs and services to needy Filipinos.

"While there are (flood control) investigations going on, kami sa DSWD, ang directive niya (President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.) sa amin, keep your eyes on your mandate, make sure na yung mahihirap, bulnerable, yung marginalized nating mga kababayan, hindi naaapektuhan ang delivery ng services," Secretary Gatchalian said.

One of the measures that Secretary Gatchalian mentioned is the direct dispensing of cash aid to clients through digital wallets, which is now being done in some of the DSWD programs such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the government’s anti-poverty flagship program.

"Sa amin kasi yung dispensing namin ng tulong is diretso sa tao. There are no lump sums in DSWD," Gatchalian pointed out.

The DSWD chief also noted the integrity and skills of the Department’s social workers as a vital safety net against corruption.

"Ang pinaka-importanteng safety net sa amin, social workers ang nagdi-dispense ng tulong. Marahil marami kayong nakikitang lumalapit sa amin pero lahat iyon isa-isa, painstakingly, sinusuri nang maayos ng ating mga social workers para angkop na tulong ang matanggap at diretso sa tao," Gatchalian explained.

As licensed professionals, social workers meticulously assess the situation of clients based on a wide range of factors to comprehensively tailor-fit social welfare interventions, thus ensuring transparency and accountability in the Department's service delivery.

"Ang aming mga social workers, isa-isa sinusuri yung cases. Everybody has a case file with us, a case management file. Hindi 'yan yung biglaang bibigyan, wala nang trace sa amin. Kapag lumapit ka sa DSWD, yung mga social workers namin gumagawa ng case social intake, ini-intake form yan, parang mga doktor pero mga social workers naman ang gumagawa. It’s lodged into the system," the DSWD chief said.

Another anti-corruption mechanism that Secretary Gatchalian mentioned is the automation and streamlining of the DSWD's processes, which also simplifies the number of requirements to make clients comfortable when seeking assistance.

"I share the vision of the President that automation removes human subjectivity. Ibig sabihin, the less people touching hands, the better it is. Kasi when there's so much human subjectivity, that's when things become grayer, so to speak. So ngayon, with automation you are talking to a system. Sa system it's either yes or no," Gatchalian said.

Among the innovations cited by the DSWD chief were the issuance of the registration, license to operate, and accreditation (RLA) certification of social welfare and development agencies (SWDAs), and the issuance of Minors Traveling Abroad (MTA) permit certificates to children who are set to travel abroad alone or with companions other than their parents.

Gatchalian said the DSWD is also supporting the enrollment of its 4Ps beneficiaries in the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) to make it easier and faster for other government agencies to access beneficiary data for validation and for the distribution of government assistance, which also helps in raising red flags on suspected ghost beneficiaries.