Malacañang said yesterday President Duterte has stripped local government units of their authority to distribute assistance during the novel coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic to avoid political patronage.
Duterte said in an unannounced public address last Wednesday that the Department of Social Welfare and Development is now in charge of distributing food and financial assistance to the public.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Duterte tasked the DSWD to lead the distribution of assistance so politicians will not be able to play favorites among their constituents.
“Hindi niya pababayaan na mahaluan ng politika at mapasok ang political patronage,” he said. “Gusto nya lahat ng beneficiaries makatanggap ng tulong.”
Duterte threatened to imprison local government officials taking a cut from the donations or assistance that will be distributed to the public.
Nograles appealed to LGUs to not touch the donations and give it all to the people.
“We will enforce full power and strength of the law to those who do abusive acts regarding donations,” he said.
“‘Yang mga donasyon na ‘yan, ‘wag niyo pakialaman, abusuhin. Pamigay niyo ‘yan,” he added. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)