Mayor Jerry Treñas has lambasted the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for not coordinating with the Iloilo City Government regarding the distribution of cash grants for indigent students.
“No coordination was ever made and this was not well thought of or even well planned,” Treñas said in a statement.
Thousands of students, parents and guardians flocked to the Iloilo Sports Complex in La Paz district on Saturday, Aug. 20, to get one-time cash assistance provided by DSWD.
“If there will be students who will be harmed I will be filing criminal and administrative cases on all responsible for this stupid planning and execution,” said Treñas.
Bombo Radyo-Iloilo reported that there were individuals who started to line up as early as 3 a.m. for the payout, which will be given until September 24.
Some also passed out due to exhaustion while waiting in lines during the “unorganized” cash distribution.
According to the city government’s Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO), ambulances and police car patrols were stationed at the payout site.
The mayor also said he is planning to declare Delia Bagolcol, DSWD-6 officer-in-charge (OIC) regional director, persona non grata in the city.
The DSWD’s educational assistance program aims to provide financial aid to eligible student beneficiaries which they can use for various school necessities.IMT
