Cayetano bats for online aid platform

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday urged the government to channel financial assistance through a unified online system to reduce red tape and limit political interference.

Under his proposed Senate Bill 155, the Department of Information and Communications Technology would lead the rollout of the eGov Super App or similar digital platforms for aid requests.

“The online or mobile application shall be utilized to facilitate requests for medical, burial, and similar forms of financial assistance,” the amendment read, introduced by bill sponsor Erwin Tulfo during plenary deliberations.

Cayetano said the digital approach would increase transparency and curb discretionary practices. 

“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 (Let it be as simple as taking a photo of the prescription, and if your app is verified, send it to them, then the voucher can be sent via GCash, and it can be used at any drugstore),” he explained.

He also recommended that hospitals and clinics coordinate with the Department of Health to ensure medical certificates are clearly issued, and that alternative authorizations be accepted for beneficiaries unable to sign due to age, illness, disability, or illiteracy.