Pangilinan to gov’t: Tap telcos to hasten cash aid release

Aika Rey

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Pangilinan to gov’t: Tap telcos to hasten cash aid release

Rappler.com

Government could tap into digital cash transfers through GCash and Smart Padala, to fast-track the release of cash aid to poor families, says Senator Pangilinan

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Francis Pangilinan urged the Inter-Agency Task Force to consider seeking the services of telcos |to fast-track the disbursement of cash aid to poor families.

In a letter to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, the chair of the IATF for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Pangilinan suggested that the government “tap the services of telecommunication companies that offer mobile money transfers to provide a one-time cash assistance in geographic pockets of poverty.”

Pangilinan said on Tuesday, April 21, that digital cash transfers, such as GCash and Smart Padala, could be an alternative way of distributing cash aid, as these services provide quicker payments.

The senator suggested the following steps that the government can consider:

  1. Government to ask telcos to provide a list of phone numbers in areas where there are poor households. He suggested that telcos would have the information on who to exclude, such as postpaid plan holders, or who to include, depending on the average daily or monthly load consumption.
  2. Announce the policy on Day X.
  3. On Day X, use existing mobile money transfer options to send cash to identified phone numbers.
  4. Recipients may claim the cash in “telco-authorized” shops that are present in communities. Pangilinan said the government must be prepared with the cash and measures to ensure physical distancing.
  5. Telcos to collect the names and amounts provided, then submit the list to government for auditing.

Pangilinan said that his suggested system “may be imperfect,” as some families may not have cellphones or others may have two contact numbers.

But he said the government should do something to hasten the process of disbursement. (READ: In limbo: Poor families still await subsidies during coronavirus lockdown)

“Habang tumatagal ang paglabas ng listahan ng bibigyan ng ayuda, lalong dumadami ang nagugutom. Baka puwedeng pag-aralan ang ating suggestion,” Pangilinan said.

(The longer it takes for the government to come up with a list, more people are getting hungry. Perhaps the government can study our suggestion.)

Under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, the government must provide cash aid worth P5,000 to P8,000, depending on the regional minimum wage. Some 18 million families are supposed to receive the financial assistance for the months of April and May.

As of Sunday, April 19, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has released P22 billion to 4.7 million households, which is 26% of the total 18 million low-income families. (READ: Duterte chaos leaves barangay officials ‘helpless’ amid lockdown)

The DSWD has been allocated roughly P200 billion for the measure, which has already been released by the budget department. – Rappler.com

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Aika Rey

Aika Rey is a business reporter for Rappler. She covered the Senate of the Philippines before fully diving into numbers and companies. Got tips? Find her on Twitter at @reyaika or shoot her an email at aika.rey@rappler.com.