The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) revealed on Wednesday that approximately one-fifth of the targeted beneficiaries for the government’s fuel subsidy program have yet to claim their financial assistance.
During a hearing conducted by the Senate’s Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy (PROTECT) Committee, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian reported that the turnout at designated payout centers has reached only 80%.
The committee is currently evaluating state measures intended to mitigate the impact of soaring oil prices sparked by ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Addressing the senators, Gatchalian highlighted a significant disconnect in the distribution process:
“The average claim rate namin sa mga payout centers namin is only 80%. Meaning, a good 20%, they don’t show up.”
The Secretary attributed this 20% shortfall to stringent eligibility and verification hurdles. Investigations into the initial list of recipients uncovered numerous discrepancies, such as individuals possessing expired or non-existent driver’s licenses.
Furthermore, the agency identified various database inconsistencies, including clerical errors and duplicate entries, which necessitated a more rigorous vetting process to protect public funds.
Gatchalian defended the decision to move away from automated transfers in favor of manual verification, stating:
“Kung simple lang po, pinasok namin kaagad sa e-wallets… we would have lost 2.7 billion of much-needed resources.”
To address the absence of a “clean list,” the DSWD has implemented on-site payouts and face-to-face validation to ensure the subsidy reaches only legitimate public utility drivers.
Latest data as of April 28 shows that 1,141,107 drivers across the country have successfully received their aid. To date, the agency has disbursed ₱5.7 billion from the ₱30 billion total allocation set aside in the 2026 national budget.