Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla warned that the e-ayuda program in Calumpit, Bulacan, which gives flood-affected residents P300 to P500 via GCash, is prone to abuse and may face scrutiny from the Commission on Audit (COA).
Beneficiaries are required to post selfies inside their flooded homes with their names and barangays, raising concerns about the program’s credibility and eligibility verification.
Remulla discouraged other local governments from adopting similar initiatives unless they have reliable recipient databases to avoid COA issues.
Calumpit Mayor Florime Faustino said the cash aid comes from her funds and that over 200 residents have already received payouts totaling P125,000.
Meanwhile, party-list groups and environmental advocates are pushing for government compensation for victims of flooding and climate change, citing recent International Court of Justice opinions on state responsibility.
Source: PhilNews24 | July 25, 2025
