• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) Bacolod has clarified that it did not remove any names from the masterlist of Typhoon Tino victims submitted by barangay officials, despite mounting complaints from residents who were excluded from the recent cash assistance payout.
In an interview, DSSD Bacolod Head Dr. Richelle Verdeprado-Mangga explained that while a victim’s name may appear on the initial masterlist, it might be flagged or excluded from the actual DSWD payroll due to strict data validation processes.
The clarification follows reports from several individuals affected by Typhoon Tino who expressed frustration after finding their names missing from the payroll.
According to Mangga, the national office conducts cross-matching to ensure integrity.
She said that common reasons for names being tagged are for compliance, including: duplication or having multiple entries for the same household; technical errors such as incorrect birthdate formats or misspelled details; and confusion between individuals with similar family names.
For those whose names were flagged, a re-verification process is currently underway through the respective barangays.
The DSSD assured residents that victims who were genuinely missed during the initial listing, but are found eligible after validation, will be included in a request for a second batch of payouts.
“Our grievance desks remain open at payout venues to accommodate and document every complaint from our beneficiaries,” Mangga said.
Meanwhile, city administrator Atty. Mark Steven Mayo urged residents with concerns to visit their local barangay or the designated grievance desks to rectify their records and ensure they receive the government aid.*
