BACOLOD CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Negros Island Region reiterated its commitment to accessible, responsive, and inclusive social protection services, particularly for beneficiaries who are unable to travel to designated payout venues to receive assistance.
The statement came in response to a recent viral video involving a beneficiary of the Unified Package for Livelihood, Industry, Food, and Transport Assistance program in Barangay Bi-ao, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, who was carried on a bamboo stretcher to attend an orientation and claim assistance.
The video, posted a few days earlier, drew mixed reactions from netizens and reached the attention of the DSWD.
According to DSWD-NIR, the payout for Binalbagan was given last July 28.
In a statement, the agency stressed that bedridden or physically incapacitated beneficiaries are not required to personally appear at payout venues to receive assistance.
Under established payout procedures, any family member listed in the beneficiary’s family roster may claim the assistance on the beneficiary’s behalf without presenting an authorization letter.
“This mechanism is intended to ensure that beneficiaries who are unable to personally attend the payout due to their physical condition can still access the assistance intended for them,” the agency stated.
DSWD-NIR has also implemented measures that include house-to-house payouts for beneficiaries who are bedridden or confined in hospitals.
The agency also makes appropriate arrangements for qualified beneficiaries who are in correctional facilities.
DSWD-NIR likewise reiterated that beneficiary verification is conducted on the actual day of the scheduled payout.
Designated DSWD personnel conduct verification as part of the established payout process to ensure that assistance is released to the qualified beneficiary or eligible family member in accordance with program guidelines.
The agency said it remains committed to ensuring that government assistance reaches qualified beneficiaries efficiently, safely, and with dignity.
It also said it will continue strengthening its payout processes to make social protection services more accessible to those who need them most.
DSWD-NIR encouraged the public to rely on its official channels and verified information for accurate updates regarding UPLIFT and other social protection programs.
Meanwhile, the video uploader, who is the beneficiary’s grandson, clarified that they were not forced by barangay officials, social workers, or DSWD personnel to bring his grandfather to the payout venue despite his condition.
He said it was the family’s own initiative to transport his grandfather because they were happy that he had been included among the beneficiaries of the assistance.
He added that he did not expect some people to react negatively to the video.
He assured the public that his grandfather arrived home safely and expressed gratitude for the government assistance. (Glazyl M. Jopson via tdg photo by dswd-nir)