BACOLOD City – To streamline the distribution of assistance and validate beneficiaries more efficiently, the city government announced plans to issue identification cards (IDs) to members of various sectoral groups within the city.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez emphasized the need to establish an official system to easily identify members of these groups.
During a forthcoming meeting with representatives from 12 local sectoral groups, Mayor Benitez will discuss the details of the ID issuance plan.
The initiative aims to prevent the ad hoc creation of beneficiary lists during assistance distributions, which has previously led to delays and discrepancies.
The announcement comes as the City Agriculture Office continues its validation process for over 500 residents claiming eligibility for the Presidential Assistance for Fisherfolks and Farmers (PAFF). Since the commencement of PAFF distributions on July 3, over 2,000 beneficiaries have received aid.
However, ongoing issues have surfaced with individuals not listed as recipients lodging complaints at city hall, asserting their eligibility based on their involvement in fishing and farming sectors.
Additionally, there have been grievances about undeserving recipients obtaining aid through local connections.
To address these challenges, Mayor Benitez assured that the city is committed to a rigorous validation and assessment process to ensure that only qualified individuals receive government assistance./PN
