THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is urging the public to remain vigilant in reporting political candidates who are using the programs of the national government, particularly the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, to advance their political ambitions.

DSWD Field Office VI Regional Director Ma. Evelyn B. Macapobre said their office had set in place the Grievance Redress Hotline numbers 0918-9122813 to accommodate and validate reports and complaints from the public against undue politicking.

Reports reaching the DSWD Field Office VI alleged that some local political candidates had claimed credits in the increase in the number of beneficiaries in their localities and the continuing provision of the cash grants.

Macapobre clarified that the DSWD has developed a system to identify poor households through the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) to determine eligible families who should be prioritized by government interventions.

The NHTS-PR has identified 5.2 million poor households nationwide. By 2016, the national government targets to provide them with the necessary assistance for health, nutrition and education through the Pantawid Pamilya program.

“Pantawid Pamilya is a program of the national government. The DSWD, being the lead agency implementing the program, has the right to delist beneficiaries but only if they are found and verified to have violated or disobeyed the Program conditionalities,” said Macapobre.

In launching the “Bawal ang Epal” campaign, Macapobre said the DSWD wants to make clear the Program’s policies and guidelines particularly in the selection and delisting of beneficiaries to avoid political pressure and misinformation.

“Epal” is a street lingo for a credit-grabber. In this case, it refers to politicians who claim a government project would not have materialized had it not been for their personal efforts, or worse, their personal funds.

“We encourage the public to be vigilant. All reports will be given due confidentiality and proper action,” Macapobre said.

To date, a total of 295,127 households in six provinces of the region are covered by Pantawid Pamilya. Negros Occidental has the highest number of beneficiaries with 110,338; followed by Iloilo with 85,335. Capiz has 37,205; Antique with 28,194; Aklan with 26,252; and Guimaras with 7,803.

Nationwide, the Program covers more than three million beneficiaries. (DSWD6/Alma L. Jornadal)