Barangay requires voter’s ID to be given relief aid
It seems the recent distribution of emergency food assistance in Barangay Sooc, Arevalo was tainted with politics. Only residents with voters’ identification (ID) cards were allegedly given the chance to avail of the assistance.
Barangay Sooc is considered a flood prone area. It is also where the city’s relocation site is situated. Most of the occupants in the relocation site came from the different barangays in the city.
One resident said they were asked to present voter’s ID card before they were given relief assistance. Said resident questioned the policy imposed for the release of emergency food assistance.
She said they did not receive any relief assistance from their barangay and from the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) when their barangay was in flood waters because of the heavy rains brought about by Typhoon Jolina.
The woman interviewed yesterday over GMA Super Radyo said they were not able to get out of their house since the flood water was already neck-deep. She is only one of the families who questioned the policy in the distribution of relief goods.
She said she could not risk her life and her children to seek shelter at the designated evacuation center. They stayed in their house until the flood waters subsided. She expected help from the barangay officials but to no avail.
Sooc Barangay Capt. Zoilo Rojo confirmed they are requiring the recipient family to present voters’ identification card as proof they are residents of the barangay. Only residents who have transferred their voters’ registration in their barangay are eligible for the assistance.
Rojo said it is a policy that their barangay is observing in the distribution of goods during calamities. They were made to sign a document to show they received assistance from the barangay.
Residents of the barangay who have yet to transfer their registration must avail of the assistance in the barangay where they used to live. The policy prevents the occupants of the relocation site from receiving any help, said Rojo.
He admitted that they were not able to distribute relief goods on the day the barangay was on flood waters. He said they submitted a list of affected families to the CSWDO but they did not get any relief assistance.
The CSWDO wants the recipient families to be at the evacuation center. Only families staying at the evacuation center can avail of the relief goods. After knowing of the policy, Rojo said, they withdrew the list from the social welfare department.
He added, the barangay was able to purchase food assistance after the city was declared under the state of calamity. Relief assistance was made available at the barangay hall. The qualified residents went to the barangay hall to get their share, said Rojo.
On the part of the CSWDO, social welfare officer Mario Mahinay confirmed Rojo’s statement on the policy they are imposing on flood affected barangays.
Mahinay said they could only provide emergency relief assistance to victims who are in the evacuation centers. The distribution of goods was based on the number of evacuees inside the designated evacuation centers.
Mahinay explained that it is the policy that they have been observing. The same was used as guiding principle of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) and the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) in releasing relief assistance to affected families.
For as long as they are in the designated evacuation centers, the affected families can avail of the help from the social welfare department regardless whether they have or do not possess a voter’s identification card. The social welfare has the obligation to provide them relief assistance as long as they are in the evacuation centers, said Mahinay.
He made it clear that the city social welfare office is not looking for voters identification card before releasing any help to the affected families provided they are in the evacuation centers.
Mahinay added those families who opted to stay in their houses are deemed in better condition since they did not transfer to the evacuation centers.
There are, however, extreme cases where relief assistance was released to the barangay. The relief assistance could only be released after a social worker has conducted an assessment on the extent of damage, said Mahinay.