To further enhance the provision of medical assistance, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is transitioning from issuing cash to guarantee letters (GLs) under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program to ensure the proper use of government funds.
Director Edwin Morata of the Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) said this is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directives to ensure that assistance is readily accessible and available to patients.
“Sa direct instruction ng ating kalihim, si Secretary Rex [Gatchalian], gusto po talaga niyang gawin na ang assistance po under the Assistance to Individual in Crisis Situation is maibigay natin (is to give) for the right purpose, for the person, for the right intervention (Under the direct instruction of Secretary Gatchalian, he really wants the assistance under the AICS to be given to the person for the right purpose and for the right intervention),” Morata said in a media forum on Thursday.
He said the shift to GLs addresses observations where cash aid was sometimes used for other basic needs like food or transportation instead of the intended purpose of buying medicines”
“We always wanted for the client to understand na ang pera po na ginagamit natin (that the money we use) for provision of assistance is a government fund, and I think para sa amin, judiciously kailangan namin talaga siyang gamitin ng tama (for us, we need to use it judiciously, in the right manner),” Morata said.
“Kaya gusto namin talaga lahat ng ididispense natin na pera ay may kaakibat na suportang dokumento at nagagamit sa tama. Iniiwasan din natin dito yung tinatawag natin na fraud kasi baka mamaya, may mga pop-up na clinics na gusto lang mag-produce ng document pero basically hindi naman talaga siya totoo (That’s why we really want that all the money we dispense have attached supporting documents and used properly. We are also avoiding fraud, because there could be some pop-ups clinics that produce documents which are basically not true),” he said.
Despite the transition, the DSWD official clarified that beneficiaries still have the option to receive cash assistance if they prefer it over the GLs.
“They can negotiate for cash to guarantee letter or guarantee letter to cash, though we prefer the former. Pero ang pakiusap namin, pag nag decide kasi sila ng cash, we cannot give the value or amount na nasa guarantee letter (But if they decide on cash, we cannot give the amount that we can give in a guarantee letter). As much as possible, we wanted to focus most of our funds in the guarantee letter na mas nakikita naming tama na ito yung ibibili mong gamot at makukuha mo (where we can be assured that you really buy the medicine that you need),” Morata said.
To support the transition, the Department is expanding the scope of its services by forging public-private partnerships with various institutions nationwide that accept GLs.
The DSWD is now in its second year of partnership with Mercury Drugstore, which has 262 participating branches, and has recently established a similar arrangement with Generika Drugstore, which has 238 branches accepting GLs.
The Department is also currently negotiating with Southstar Drug, Rose Pharmacy and Watsons to prevent exclusivity and provide more options for the clients.
Aside from pharmacies, hospitals, and diagnostic centers, the DSWD has expanded its network to include animal bite centers to cover unanticipated and expensive rabies treatments.
The program now also includes additional blood banks and institutions that offer psychosocial services to address the full range of medical and mental health needs of visiting patients.
As of May 31, the DSWD has disbursed over PHP9.22 billion worth of medical and funeral assistance through GLs to 499,978 clients under the AICS program. (PNA)
