MANILA -- Almost P16 billion in unutilized funds in this year’s Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) budget could be used to give aid to residents of areas under granular lockdown, a lawmaker said.

During DSWD’s budget deliberation before the House Committee on Appropriations, House Deputy Minority Leader and Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo said despite measures to accelerate disbursement of funds from DSWD projects like Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), P15.9 billion would remain unutilized from this year’s budget.

"Malaki pa rin iyan. I would like to ask DSWD again kung napag-isipan na po ba nila ang possible ways to accelerate disbursement, discussing with the IATF ngayon na po na merong bagong approach to lockdowns which is the granular lockdowns. Baka naman isang posibilidad to accelerate disbursement is to, for example, give to households that will be on granular lockdown,” she said.

"With the new strategy that is being employed the DSWD will be providing food packs to areas to be declared under granular lockdown as well as those peripheral areas where in there will be no movement at all," DSWD Asec. Glenda Relova said in response.

Relova added, however, that the help they will provide won't be limited to food packs.

"Siyempre alam nga natin na may mga iba din namang needs ang ating mga ano, so we don’t limit it to foodpacks alone. Depending on the need and the proposal of our constituents, magbibigay pa rin po talaga tayo sa DSWD ng whatever ng pangangailangan nila,” said Relova.

Quimbo encouraged the DSWD to give more cash aid as food packs do not cost much.

”Ang problema natin, mukhang marami pa ring matitira kung food packs lang ang ipoprovide for families on granular lockdowns," she said.

A DSWD food pack costs about P774. It contains four cans of tuna, four cans of corned beef, six kilos of rice, five sachets of coffee, sachet, five cereal drink sachets and 2 cans of sardines. This is good for a family of 5 for 3 days.

DSWD gives three food packs per beneficiary family every week.

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