MAKING government aid more accessible will prevent politicians from intervening in the distribution process of aid from national government.
It is in this belief that Sen. Erwin Tulfo, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, is pushing hard for the institutionalization of accessible government aid distribution without political interference.
The Senator reiterated his commitment to such, at the recent panel hearing on his bill to institutionalize the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
“What we will do is limit the requirements to two. We will ensure that unnecessary requirements, such as barangay indigency forms and marriage contracts, are removed. If you need medical assistance, for example, you will only need to provide a valid ID and a hospital bill,” said Sen. Erwin.
He noted: “Truthfully, this is where politics comes in. When a Filipino needs aid, they often have no choice but to ask for an indigency form plastered with the faces and names of barangay officials. This is currently a requirement; otherwise, they have no chance of getting help.”
Sen. Erwin lamented that currently, in order to access aid, Filipinos must secure a valid ID, a Certificate of Indigency, a Barangay Clearance, a notarized affidavit, a Social Case Study Report and, in some cases, even a marriage certificate.
In response to the Senator, the DSWD noted that if the AICS bill becomes law, the agency plans to elevate the program into a bureau to improve staffing patterns and implementation.
Sen. Erwin then instructed the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to hasten the dissemination of information clarifying that politicians cannot intervene in aid distribution.
“The 2026 General Appropriations Act clearly states that the presence of politicians in aid distribution is not allowed. Act on it quickly because elections are approaching, and our fellow citizens fear aid will be used for politicking again,” Tulfo stated.
In response, the DILG heeded Tulfo’s call by issuing Memorandum Circular No. 2026-066, ordering that no names or photos of public officials appear on any government-funded projects.
It will be recalled that Sen. Erwin has long advocated for a renewed “anti-epal” drive to stop politicians from claiming government aid as their own personal projects, which is clearly a case of credit-grabbing.
