E-ayuda prone to abuse – Remulla

MANILA, Philippines —  While it is not illegal, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the e-ayuda initiative of the local government of Calumpit, Bulacan for its constituents is prone to abuse.

Remulla said the program of Mayor Florime Faustino to help residents affected by flooding caused by storms and the southwest monsoon could pose problems for the local government if scrutinized by the Commission on Audit (COA).

“I don’t have problems with it. The problem is with COA because it would check if the beneficiary is correct, a resident and received the correct amount,” Remulla told dzMM yesterday.

Under the e-ayuda program, residents of Calumpit can receive P300 to P500 in financial assistance from the local government through the mobile payment service GCash.

Before they can receive aid, residents must post selfies while inside their houses submerged in floods.

They must also write their names and the barangays in their photos or videos.

Remulla discouraged other local government units from replicating Faustino’s program as they could be at risk from a COA audit.

As for the town mayor, he said Faustino better have a credible database system of the recipients of the financial assistance.

Faustino told dzBB that the cash relief is not sourced from government funds but from her own pocket.

She said winning beneficiaries could win P500 that will be sent through GCash.

There were more than 200 beneficiaries that received P500 on Wednesday, and the disbursed amount P125,000, she added.

Meanwhile, party-list groups Gabriela and Kabataan and environmental advocates are seeking compensation for the victims of massive flooding in Metro Manila, Rizal and other parts of the country.

Gabriela women’s party asked yesterday the government to end the destructive quarrying ahead of President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address on Monday.

For Kabataan, the opinion of the International Court of Justice that climate change is “not a punishment of god” must lead to compensation of the victims and end “resiliency” culture.

Nicole Ponce, World’s Youth for climate change leader, and Grizelda Mayo-Anda, Environmental Legal Assistance Center executive director, said the government is legally bound to compensate the victims of climate change.

“The ICJ ruling is a game-changer for the Philippines, which has been recognized for three years straight as the most climate vulnerable country in the world by the World Risk Index,” said Angela Asuncion, regional communications associate of the Global Strategic Communications Council. –  Ramon Efren Lazaro, Jose Rodel Clapano