DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 08 July) – Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte on Monday said his office has temporarily suspended its medical assistance program for his constituents as the Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD) is no longer funding such services to favor another party list.
Reacting to the statement of Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) party list representative Migs Nograles, Duterte alleged that DSWD funds are being used for politics, claiming that the agency is favoring another party list’s projects in an attempt to destroy them.
“Kami sa akong opisina wala mag-ingun nga walay pondo ang DSWD kundi ang akong opisina ang wala pondohi sa DSWD ug kami igu lang nagpahibalo ug nangayu ug dispensa tungod ani nga sitwasyon (We, in our office, did not say that DSWD has no funds but that the DSWD is no longer funding our office’s programs. We just informed the public about this and asked for an apology because of this situation),” he said.
A notice posted outside Duterte’s office reads in part: “Among gikasubong ipahibalo kaninyo nga temporaryong giundang ang atong medical assistance para sa mga pribadong hospital sa dakbayan tungod kay wala na kita hatagi og pondo sa atong DSWD (We regret to inform you that we have temporarily suspended our medical assistance for private hospitals because we have not received funds from the DSWD).”
Duterte said it was neither black propaganda nor fake news.
In a statement, Nograles warned Dabawenyos about a “certain post, clickbait, and misinformation” spreading rumors that DSWD does not have funds for social services.
She added she visits DSWD almost weekly because her office receives numerous requests for assistance from the public.
“Kung totoo na walang pondo ang DSWD, bakit patuloy ang release namin ng medical assistance sa office? (If it’s true that DSWD does not have funds, why is our office continuously releasing medical assistance?),” she said.
Duterte added that if the officials really wanted to help, they should help their constituents without politicking because it is the people who will suffer.
“Wala pud ko kahinumdum Madam Congresswoman nga gidaug-daug mo sa panahon sa akong amahan bisan pa man sa mga nahitabo kaniadto (I cannot remember, Madam Congresswoman, that you were being oppressed by my father during his time despite what happened),” he said.
Duterte told his constituents to seek help from the PBA party list for their medical services and financial needs, saying it has excess funds.
“Sa akong mga pinalanggang Dabawenyo, tungod kay ga-awas-awas ang pondo sa PBA, ako kamong giawhag na muduol kanila alang sa inyong mga medikal ug pinansyal nga panginahanglan (To my beloved Dabawenyos, since PBA has more than enough funds, I urge you to seek help from them for your medical and financial needs),” he said.
Nograles added that the programs of her office, including barangay caravans, continue extending services to the constituents amid rumors that DSWD has no funds.
She said they continue organizing caravans, except for barangays where they are disallowed by officials from holding such an activity.
“Kung hindi niyo pa kami nakikita diyan, yan ay dahil pinagbawalan po kami pumasok. Wag lagi magpadala sa fake news, wag din po sana mag post ng ganito para magalit mga tao ng hindi po tama. (If you can’t find us there in your barangays, that is because we are prevented from entering your barangay. Do not get swayed by fake news and do not post anything like this just to anger the people),” she said.
“Think and verify before you post, baka kayo po ay mag ginagawa nang masama (maybe it’s you who are doing something bad),” she said. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
