Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian stood firm that their office extends assistance to anybody who asks for help as he denied allegations they turned down referral requests for aid from the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
“Every day even without a referral, if you go to the DSWD response, you will be accommodated and well attended to. You don’t need a referral. If you have a referral, you will be helped too,” he said.
Gatchalian made the remarks when asked to comment on reports that the DSWD rejected referrals for assistance from the OVP.
Gatchalian said the DSWD has already coordinated with the OVP for clarification. He said they can provide screenshots of their conversations to disprove the allegations.
“So, for me to think that those people have enough documentation to show that we don’t need a referral or no referral, or we have a referral everyone goes to the office, we accepted it,” Gatchalian said, adding: “We don’t have that track record that we play politics in helping the needy.”
The DSWD chief said they do not politicize helping people as he pointed out that the ones responsible for extending assistance are the licensed social workers, which means their licenses are at risk if they politicize helping those in need.
