Bacolod mayor vows probe into financial aid ‘commissions’

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez has urged individuals asked to pay commissions from government financial assistance, such as the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis (AICS), to file formal complaints.

Benitez said he has been made aware of the issue and wants to address it officially, but he needs formal reports, information, or evidence to take action.

He encouraged complainants to come forward without fear to expose those exploiting the system.

“We will definitely investigate and take action on this,” Benitez said during a media briefing on Tuesday.

The mayor emphasized that financial aid is meant to alleviate the situation of qualified beneficiaries. He stressed that it is unacceptable for unscrupulous individuals to demand commissions from such assistance.

Benitez said the city will gather testimonies and affidavits to take decisive action, assuring that such practices will not be tolerated.

He revealed ongoing discussions with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to improve the financial aid distribution process. He suggested that modernizing the system could eliminate long queues and minimize opportunities for exploitation.

“If we can avoid the long lines and cash disbursements, we can prevent this from happening,” he said.

Benitez also emphasized the need to educate beneficiaries to help them recognize and report unethical practices.

“We want to assure them that they can report these activities and that the government will act to stop them,” he said.

He proposed using e-wallets or direct transfers to beneficiaries’ Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards as more efficient methods for distributing aid.

“I have always been against bureaucratic red tape, long queues, and unnecessary compliance requirements in financial aid processing,” Benitez added.

He criticized the excessive documentation required for aid applications, noting that such procedures often discourage or disqualify genuinely eligible individuals.

Benitez said the city is exploring a partnership with Orange Platform (TOP), a Pinoy-made digital wallet and mobile payment application, to address these challenges.

He also called for a system to validate beneficiaries’ qualifications and to ensure that social workers submit only genuine and valid documents for aid distribution.

“This can be done through modern technology. It’s just a matter of putting it in place,” Benitez said.