Barangay councilman in South Cotabato removed as 4Ps beneficiary
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 7 July) — A barangay councilman who was reported to have been receiving a monthly cash aid from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) has already been delisted, an official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said.
Barangay Kagawad Dexter Donasco of San Vicente in Banga town in South Cotabato, reportedly remained a 4Ps beneficiary for eight years despite his being a government official.
DSWD Region 12 director Restituto Macuto said they have been updating and delisting unqualified beneficiaries like Donasco of the monthly cash grant for identified poorest of the poor households.
There are now only 174,705 household beneficiaries in the region, Macuto said on Wednesday.
He said they have so far removed 1,231 names from their list of beneficiaries for various reasons, including death and economic status, like when a beneficiary is already earning well and no longer needs cash assistance from the government.
But Macuto clarified that Donasco became a beneficiary when he was not yet a barangay official.
“He was already delisted,” the DSWD director said of Donasco.
On June 29, the Banga municipal council suspended Donasco for two months and slapped him with administrative charges for stealthily benefiting from 4Ps despite his being a government official.
San Vicente barangay chairperson Elpedio Patarata said Donasco refused to waive the 4Ps benefits despite having been told by DSWD personnel.
Patarata said Donasco was suspended for overtly committing gross dishonesty contrary to the provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991 (Republic Act 7160).
Patrata said he also filed an administrative case before the Office of the Ombudsman for violation of Republic Act 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Donasco became a 4Ps beneficiary in 2009 and won a seat in the barangay council in 2012, which entitled him to a monthly honorarium of P11,000. But instead of giving up the 4Ps monthly P2,500 aid, he continued to claim the money despite being told not to by colleagues.
Patarata said Donasco has been claiming the 4Ps aid for more than eight years even as he was getting a monthly honorarium being a barangay councilman.
On two occasions, in 2014 and 2020, Donasco was approached by DSWD personnel telling him to give up and return his 4Ps cash card which he apparently did not heed.
The barangay chair said Donasco told him that he cannot yet yield the 4Ps aid because he needs the money to help support his kids’ schooling.
As a rule, a government personnel can only qualify as 4Ps beneficiary and claim the cash aid if he or she is receiving only 5,000 pesos or less in stipend or honorarium from the government.
The 4Ps program aims to improve the health, nutrition, and the education of children aged 0-18 years.
The government patterned the 4Ps cash grant after family cash aid schemes in poor African countries, where it helped millions of people hurdle poverty. (Rommel Rebollido/MindaNews)
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