DSWD-7: Family of person arrested for illegal activities still deserve to receive UCT

Dario Genson (standing right) immediately buys food items after receiving his emergency subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) in the town Carmen, Cebu. | DSWD-7 photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — There is yet no clear provisions that was drafted on how to go about with those Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) recipient who will be involved with illegal activities or will be arrested upon receiving the assistance.

However, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) believes that the other family members still deserve to receive this cash assistance despite one family member being involved with illegal activity.

“Kinahanglan timbangon pag-ayo sa DSWD kung ang pamilya ba atoang pasakripisyuhon tungod lang sa usa ka member nga nagpabadlong? Remember that we are serving families, so ang assumption kada pamilya dunay lima ka baba nga pakan-unon,” said Shalaine Marie Lucero, assistant regional director of DSWD-7.

(We should also consider here in DSWD — will we let the whole family suffer because of one family member who has done something bad? Remember that we are serving families, so the assumption is that for every family there are five mouths to feed.)

This after questions about who can receive the UCT and whether to cut families of those who have been involved in illegal activities surfaced with reports about some recipients allegedly being involved with the illegal drug trade.

Read more: Man claiming to be a UCT beneficiary nabbed for possessing shabu

Lucero said that she already forwarded the concern they received about those who might be spending the assistance of the government to illegal drugs and other vices and what proper action should be done.

But if Lucero will have it her way, she stands on behind those other family members who also needed the assistance.

Lucero said this would be unlike the 4P’s (Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program), which had guidelines on how to handle those who would be involved with vices and illegal activities.

She said that the active participation of the barangay with their programs against vices and criminalities might be helpful to also let the public understand that the cash assistance would be for their basic needs especially during this time where most work were suspended.

“Ayuda ni sa gobyerno nianing kalisod nato karon. Nianing krisis nga naundang ka og trabaho, wala na kay kinitaan. So therefore na affected ang atoang regular nga panginabuhi,” said Lucero.

(This is a government assistance in this crisis now. This crisis where work has stopped and one does not have any income anymore. So therefore, one’s livelihood is affected.)/dbs