- DSWD XI: Medical, burial assistance continues amid Duterte-Nograles rift
THE DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development assured they have enough funds for medical and burial assistance for beneficiaries in the region amid the word war between Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte and PBA Party-list Rep. Migs Nograles over social media.
The department made the pronouncement following the statement of PBA Partylist Representative Congressman Migs Nograles debunking claims that DSWD no longer has funds for support services.
“The Department’s funds for individuals and families in crisis situations are sufficient, and we are always ready to be of service to all Davaoeños,” DSWD XI said in a Facebook post.
As of June 3, DSWD XI already served 273,305 clients region-wide, totaling P1,571,450,698.03.
A TikTok post of a certain “Mary” from Davao City with an image of a poster displayed in the office of Congressman Paolo Duterte stating providing medical assistance is temporarily halted.
“Pahibalo sa Tanang Dabawenyo: Among gikasubong ipahibalo kaninyo nga temporaryong giundang ang atong medical assistance para sa pribadong hospital sa dakbayan tungod kay wala na kita hatagi og pundo sa atong DSWD,” the announcement said.
As of this writing, the TikTok post already reached 131,000 views, 3,000 likes, and 534 shares.
However, on Monday at 1 a.m., Nograles posted on Facebook that the lack of funds was only black propaganda.
“Ambot nganong ganito ginapakalat ngayon at kaninong office ang naga sabi ng fake news na wala ng pondo ang DSWD. Halos every week nasa DSWD po ako dahil maraming nangangailangan ng tulong at lumalapit sa office namin,” she said.
She vouched that DSWD XI has sufficient funds since her office continues to receive assistance and their barangay caravans were never suspended.
Nograles said statements should be verified before posting. The PBA office, she added, is open to whoever needs assistance.
“Kahit na limited, may budget. At kahit na pinapahirapan ako ng ibang opisyales ng mga barangay, patuloy pa rin nakabukas opisina at handang magbigay ng serbisyo,” she said.
Nograles explained the party-list had no presence in some barangays as they were denied entry. She added this just caused the proliferation of “fake news” and “black propaganda.”
In June, four Barangay Baliok councilors resigned as core leaders of the PBA Party-list. Nograles penned on Facebook that the councilors did not want to be associated with her.
To recall, in February, witnesses openly tagged PBA Partylist as the alleged brains behind “signature buying” on the ground, luring them to put their signatures due to ayuda promised to them, without knowing that they were used in the move to change the Constitution through a People’s Initiative.
Over the past few months, a signature campaign has been going around the country targeting beneficiaries of assistance to individuals in crisis situations (AICS).
Meanwhile, Rep. Paolo Duterte responded to Nograles’ post, saying that he never suggested the DSWD XI had no more funds. Instead, their line to the agency was cut off.
“Kami sa akong opisina wala mag-ingun nga walay pondo ang DSWD kundi ang akong opisina ang wala pondohi sa DSWD ug kami igu lang nagpahibalo ug nangayu ug dispensa tungod ani nga sitwasyon,” Duterte said in a statement released on Monday, 1 p.m.
He stressed there is no “black propaganda” involved in the post, rather clarifying his office has no funds for the assistance, and challenged to check DSWD records instead.
“Pwede na ninyu lili-on sa records sa DSWD mismo. Ang klaro karun nga dunay gipalabi. Klaro karon nga ginagamit ang kwarta sa tao alang sa pamulitika. Para dautan kami sa katawhan,” he said.
Duterte added providing assistance to the people should not be mixed with “politicking.”
He then advised the public to seek medical and financial assistance from PBA as the fund allocated to the latter is “overflowing.”
