Mislabeling, discrimination against calamity victims anger Tulfo

SENATOR Erwin Tulfo called in the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to immediately addressed the apparent ‘mislabeling’ and discrimination by some barangay officials of some victims of natural calamities especially those victimized by Super Typhoon Tino in the province of Cebu.

“Nakakalungkot at nakakagalit ang mga balitang may mga mislabeling na ginawa ang ibang mga barangay personnel sa DSWD forms ng ilang mga biktima ng Bagyong Tino sa lalawigan ng Cebu.

“Hindi ito ang unang pagkakataong nangyari ang ganitong insidente at nakakadismaya na patuloy na nagaganap ang diskriminasyon sa mga biktima ng sakuna,” said Tulfo, chair of the Senate Committee on Social Justice. He is also President Marcos Junior’s first DSWD secretary.

Tulfo issued the call after a complaint from a resident from Purok Isla Verde in Talisay City, Cebu, went viral where it was alleged that a barangay official had marked his flood-ravaged house as only “partially damaged” on the DSWD assistance form.

“Double whammy na ito kung biktima na sila ng kalamidad tapos magiging biktima pa sila uli ng manipulasyon sa pamamahagi ng ayuda,” he emphasized.

After the 20^TH Congress convened last July, Tulfo filed SB 254 or the proposed “Anti-Discrimination in the Delivery of Social Protection Programs Act” as one of his priority bills.

The bill seeks to penalize selective, discretionary, and discriminatory acts committed by government employees in the delivery of social protection programs to beneficiaries to ensure fair and equitable distribution to all qualified individuals and families.

“From the word itself, it is an ‘aid’ for the people, so it must be given to the people and nothing less,” Tulfo stressed.