The Department of Social Welfare and Development instituted several measures to safeguard its programs and activities from partisan politics during the synchronized national, local, and ARMM regional elections in May.

Foremost of these measures is the Anti-Epal Campaign for the Department’s major anti-poverty initiative, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. The Anti-Epal Campaign is an information campaign that aims to insulate the Pantawid Pamilya during the election period. It also aims to intensify communication efforts ensuring that beneficiaries are accurately informed of the selection and delisting processes. The DSWD developed this campaign after receiving feedback from beneficiaries that there are electoral candidates who threaten to delist them from the program if they will not give their support. The campaign focuses on the message that only the DSWD can delist a beneficiary if he or she is not meeting the conditionalities of the program.

Reinforcing the Anti-Epal Campaign is the memorandum of Secretary Dinky Soliman on banning images or pictures of government officials from billboards or tarpaulins used during Pantawid Pamilya and the guidelines on the conduct of activities on Pantawid Pamilya during the 2013 campaign and national and local election period.

Secretary Soliman also issued a directive prohibiting the participation of all field personnel in any partisan political activity and mandating the immediate suspension of violators even pending investigation. The prohibited partisan political activities include, but are not limited to: threatening, intimidating or inducing any beneficiary to attend a political activity, endorsement of a political candidate to the beneficiaries, distribution of partisan political literature, and promoting any political candidate while in the performance of official duties.

Compliance to COMELEC Resolution

In compliance to the Omnibus Election Code and Comelec Resolution No. 9585 on rules and regulations governing ban on public works and release, disbursement and expenditures of public funds, construction of public works, delivery of materials for public works and issuance of treasury warrants and similar devises, Secretary Soliman recently issued the “ Operational Guidelines during Election Period.”

The guidelines highlight the prohibited activities during the election period and the safeguards adopted by the Department such as: conduct of activities shall be in accordance with guidelines; non-participation of the DSWD in medical missions, forums, and political gatherings organized by a candidate; and not holding trainings for personnel of candidates. The guidelines also list the activities that are not allowed during Department events such as: display of election paraphernalia; featuring names, pictures or logos of candidates in programmes and handouts; distribution of flyers, leaflets and sample ballots; playing of campaign jingles; and political campaigning.

Exempted from COMELEC ban

The DSWD clarified that its on-going public works, routine and normal expenses, as well as foreign assisted projects (FAPs) are being disclosed in compliance with the regulations although these are exempted from the COMELEC ban.

The DSWD explained that the prohibition against the release, disbursement or expenditure of public funds for public works during the election period does not apply to ongoing pubic work projects that commenced before the campaign period. The Department’s on-going public works are: construction of bunkhouses and temporary shelters in Davao Oriental for typhoon Pablo victims; shelter assistance project in regions X,XI and XII for the victims of recent disasters and areas affected by armed conflict; construction of daycare centers and permanent shelters under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) project; construction of permanent shelters, day care centers and livelihood centers in conflict-affected areas in ARMM; and Core Shelter Project and Livelihoood Assistance Program in support of the Mindanao Framework Agreement in Mindanao.

On the other hand, the COMELEC ruled that foreign-funded projects fall within the exemption contemplated under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code. The DSWD’s major FAPs include the Kapitbisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), Poder Y Prosperidad para del Comunidad, and Emergency Operations Philippines-Assistance to Conflict Affected Areas in Mindanao.

Authorization to release funds

Meanwhile, the DSWD is requesting authorization from COMELEC to release and disburse public funds for the PAMANA project; the on-going disaster relief, early recovery, and rehabilitation efforts; and possible disaster operations should calamities occur during the election period.

The DSWD said that the continuation of the PAMANA project is essential to sustain the peace process in Mindanao as well as to realize the peace and development roadmap of the President.

On the release of funds for disaster relief efforts, the DSWD said that “ given the sheer magnitude of the DSWD’s Relief, Early Recovery, and Rehabilitation effort, it would not be cost efficient to transfer its implementation and the funds to the Philippine Red Cross during the election period which may delay project implementation.” It added that the Chairman of Red Cross is a candidate in the coming elections.

Support

“The DSWD supports the COMELEC and the general public in ensuring the conduct of free, orderly and honest elections in 2013 and we express our commitment to comply with the regulations in our delivery of much needed social services to the public,” Secretary Soliman concluded. ###