In a statement on Tuesday, ARTA said this is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte's directive to simplify the process of giving out assistance.

In an initial meeting, ARTA, DILG, and DSWD discussed the concerns and issues on the current process of distributing food and cash assistance to communities.
ARTA said that in the coming days, the agencies will further coordinate on expediting the process of granting the assistance to requesting local government units especially now that consecutive weather disturbances have affected various areas in the country on top of the ongoing pandemic.
Social Welfare Undersecretary Felicisimo Budiongan informed the group that the national agency's role in relief operations shall be upon receipt of request from the local chief executive of a request for augmentation and if the affected families are more than 30.
ARTA Director General Jeremiah Belgica, meanwhile, recommended instead that DSWD regional or field offices, being at ground zero of the disaster-stricken area, should already monitor if sufficient food and cash assistance have been distributed by concerned local government officials.
If none has been extended by the LGU officials within two days, the DSWD regional or field office shall automatically send a report to the central office to send food and cash assistance to the disaster-hit area.
Belgica said LGU officials concerned who do not do their part shall be subject to investigation and there will be a presumption of serious neglect of duty and grave misconduct, which are both serious offenses for administrative cases to be filed with the Office of Ombudsman and which would merit immediate preventive suspension.
"In times of calamities, a wait-and-see method is already a thing of the past. Reports and assessment of the situation at ground zero are easily verifiable with different available technologies. More than ever, we invite our disaster relief officials to be more proactive in times when our countrymen need the government the most," he said.



