MIAGAO, Iloilo – Personnel from the Antique Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (APSWDO) were impressed by the fast pay out of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) in Miagao.
Antique PSWDO Mr. Lazaro Petinglay, during the Benchmarking of AICS to identify best practices in its releases, wondered how it was done “fast” by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO).
AICS is a devolved program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD) to the Local Government Unit by virtue of Republic Act 7160 also known as the Local Government Code of 1991.
Mrs. Rosalinda Mueda said that the MSWDO provides a range of services such as immediate rescue, and provision of direct financial assistance, psychological support, and material assistance including food and transportation for the stranded individual/families burial assistance to the paupers, emergency shelter assistance for victims of sporadic calamities (natural and manmade), medical laboratory and purchase of medicines for either admitted or out patient.
“We have made major modifications in the release of AICS. Since I assumed office as (Municipal) Mayor, AICS is extended to all regardless of their political affiliation. And so far, we are right in track based on the report of the Commission on Audit,” Mayor Macario Napulan MD said in his Welcome Remarks.
Mayor Napulan said that AICS transaction is done in 30 minutes from the preparation of the documents up to the cash payout, provided that all off the requirements needed are readied by the client. Among the requirements needed are Death Certificate, Certificate of Confinement, medical prescription and laboratory request. (For guidance, see attached chart for supporting documents to specific request and flow of recordings and signatories).
Amount of releases, however, varies depending on the degree of illness with a minimum amount of P300.00 for medical assistance. To date, the MSWDO released a total amount of Php 513,550.00 to 553 clients.
It may be recalled that Mayor Macario N. Napulan was awarded Most Outstanding Mayor of the Philippines by the Association of Local Social Welfare Development of the Philippines Inc. and one of the key programs presented was the successful implementation of AICS in the Municipality of Miagao. (ABMande)
