By Cindy Ferrer/PNA
ILOILO CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is apolitical, thus local politicians should not use it as a vehicle for their electoral campaign, a regional official said Friday.
DSWD 6 (Western Visayas) Director Rebecca Geamala said in an interview that they have received reports that some politicians have installed tarpaulins and have spoken during the release of cash assistance to beneficiaries of DSWD programs.
Geamala, however, did not disclose who these politicians were or where the incidents occurred because they were still validating the information.
“I immediately ordered my staff to remove those tarpaulins but the following day, they installed them again,” she said.
Geamala said she has already invited a representative of the Department of the Interior and Local Government 6 and Commission on Elections 6 for a meeting on Dec. 10 to talk about the concern.
“I want to talk with them to know how we are going to resolve this,” she said.
Geamala appealed to the region’s politicians to be sensitive of their actions.
“I know not all are doing this and there are some politicians who are knowledgeable and responsible enough, so I hope there will be no more incidents like this anymore,” she said.
Geamala said she had already warned the region’s politicians not to use DSWD projects to entice support, a few days after the filing of certificates of candidacy last October 11-17.
Her warning stemmed from reports that certain candidates have threatened to remove beneficiaries from DSWD programs, especially the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, if they will not vote for them in next year’s mid-term elections.
