Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday proposed streamlining government financial assistance through a single online platform to reduce red tape and curb political intervention in aid distribution.
Cayetano introduced amendments to Senate Bill 155 designating the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) as the lead agency in rolling out the eGov Super App or a similar digital system.
The proposal is aligned with the E-Governance Law, or Republic Act 12254, which Cayetano principally authored.
Under the amendment, requests for medical, burial, and other forms of financial assistance would be submitted digitally through an online or mobile application, as presented by bill sponsor Senator Erwin Tulfo.
“The online or mobile application shall be utilized to facilitate requests for medical, burial, and similar forms of financial assistance.”
Cayetano said digitization would increase transparency, simplify procedures, and reduce discretionary handling of aid.
“Let it be as simple as kunan ko ng picture ‘yung prescription tapos kung verified naman ‘yung app mo, send it to them, then GCash nila ‘yung voucher at kahit saang drugstore pwede nang ipambili.”
He also urged stronger coordination among hospitals, clinics, and the Department of Health to ensure properly issued medical certificates.
The senator further proposed alternative authorization mechanisms for beneficiaries who are unable to sign documents due to age, illness, disability, or illiteracy.