The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance providing for the revised guidelines in the implementation of the assistance to individuals and crisis situations (AICS) in the city and amending Ordinance No. 16, series of 2019.
Under the proposed ordinance, the city government seeks to strengthen the implementation of the AICS under the protective services program under Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Memorandum Circular No. 11, series of 2019 that provided for the guidelines in the implementation of the program to be consistent with the pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
The ordinance states that the provision of financial and material assistance to clients shall be based on the assessment and the recommendation of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) social workers duly approved by the authorized officials. The eligibility of clients to receive the needed services shall be established through interviews, home visits and submission of necessary documents which shall be contained in the implementing procedures.
Further, the maximum amount to be provided to clients shall be based on the parameters indicated in the guidelines to be reviewed periodically. Partnerships with stakeholders such as hospitals, drug stores or pharmacies, transport companies, funeral parlors, and other service providers shall be established by the city government to ensure that referred clients are able to receive the needed services immediately. In no case shall the implementation of the AICS be delegated and transferred to any accredited non-government organizations or peoples organizations.
Clients seeking assistance shall bring and submit to the CSWDO main or unit offices various documentary requirements such as original or certified copy and photocopy of any valid identification card of the client or person to be interviewed, police blotter or police certification for victims of pickpockets, illegal recruitment, among others, or other supporting documents like justification of CSWDO workers, medical certificates, death certificate, and court order or subpoena, barangay certificate of residency of the client.
For medical assistance, any valid identification card of the client, barangay certificate of processor, medical certificate or medical abstract with date of issuance, complete name, signature and license number of the attending physician and if payment for hospital bill, statement of account reflecting outstanding balance.
The ordinance stipulated that the psycho-social intervention unit shall submit a monthly and quarterly report indicating the physical and financial data or information and a quarterly narrative analysis on the status of implementation of the AICS which shall be submitted to the CSWDO every tenth day of the succeeding month. The CSWDO shall prepare a consolidated physical and financial report for submission to the Office of the City Mayor.
Semestral evaluation shall be undertaken to track the status of implementation of the program and an annual program evaluation and planning workshop every November to guide the targeting for the succeeding year. By Dexter A. See
