BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance providing for guidelines in the implementation of the assistance to individuals in crisis situations in the city.
The ordinance authored by Lilia A. Fariñas stated the local legislative measure provides the guidelines on the provision of protective services for the poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals, families, in crisis situation and communities in difficult circumstances.
The ordinance provides a maximum of P6,000 per family going to their home province via sea or air transportation while a maximum of P3,000 per family shall be extended to clients going to their home province via land travel and that the amounts to be extended shall vary on the distance, mode of transportation, and number of family members who will granted the same.
The ordinance stipulated the type and kinds of financial assistance provided to beneficiaries shall be based on the assessment and recommendation of the social worker duly approved by the department head wherein a client can avail of the prescribed assistance within three months per type of assistance, except for the transportation assistance which can only be availed once.
According to the proposal, availment of the transportation assistance more than once shall be supported by a justification based on the urgency and nature of needs of the beneficiaries assessed by the social worker, subject to availability of funds and the appropriate level of approval.
Among the other assistance that could be extended by the local government include medical assistance, educational assistance, burial assistance, assistance to women in especially difficult circumstances, food and non-food assistance, relief, rehabilitation assistance to victims of disaster.
The ordinance explained the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) shall record and prepare quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports of the financial assistance extended to individuals in crisis situations for accounting and auditing purposes.
The ordinance seeks the funds for the assistance to individuals in crisis situations in the city shall be included in the annual budget of the CSWDO which shall be in charge of the proper implementation of the said program.
Earlier, the Commission on Audit–Cordillera Administrative Region (COA-CAR) in its Audit Observation Memorandum No. 18-008 dated March 2018, reported the alleged lack of well-defined and specific guidelines on the grant of the assistance to individuals in crisis situations which resulted to reported inconsistencies in the grants and donations of financial assistance, thus, casting doubt on the effective utilization of funds.
Resolution No. 120, series of 2018 requested the CSWDO, in close coordination with the Cordillera office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, to immediately formulate well defined and specific guidelines and policies on the grant of financial assistance under the assistance to individuals in crisis situations in the city.
By Dexter A. See
