Simplified Government Aid Access Act

CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES TWENTIETH CONGRESS First Regular Session } SENATE S. No. 155 PREPARED AND SUBMITTED BY THE COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL JUSTICE, WELFARE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT WITH SENATORS TULFO (E.) AND TULFO (R.) AS AUTHORS THEREOF AN ACT SIMPLIFYING THE DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCESSING GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as

the "Direkta at Agad na Lingap at Interbension (DALI) 3 Act".

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall

5 promote the general welfare of the Filipino people by ensuring that individuals and families in difficult situations are provided with timely and accessible financial

• assistance. To this end, the government shall adopt measures to remove excessive documentary requirements and streamline procedures for availing aid from government agencies.

SEC. 3. Scope and Coverage. - This Act shall apply to

all national and local government agencies and 7 instrumentalities that provide medical, burial, and similar forms of financial assistance, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of 10 Health (DOH), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

SEC. 4. Standardized Requirements. - To avail of

14 immediate financial assistance, beneficiaries shall be required to submit only the following documents: (a) Valid government-issued identification (ID); (b) Billing statement from the hospital, clinic, funeral parlor, or related entities; and

(c) Original or certified true copy of a medical certificate or medical abstract with the date of issuance, complete name, signature, and license number of the attending physician, or death certificate issued by the 5 hospital or the city/municipal health office, whichever is applicable. Hospitals, clinics, and other authorized medical facilities issuing such medical certificates or medical abstracts shall, in coordination with the DOH, ensure that the foregoing information is clearly indicated therein. Where the request for assistance is made through a representative, such representative shall present an authorization letter duly signed by the beneficiary, or, where the beneficiary is unable to sign due to age, illness, disability, or illiteracy, such other reasonable proof of authorization as may be prescribed by the implementing rules and regulations, along with a valid government- issued ID of both the beneficiary and the representative. The authorized representative must be a relative of the

beneficiary within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, or a legal guardian: Provided, That no individual shall act as a representative for more than two (2) beneficiaries.

SEC. 5. Digital Requests for Government Aid. - The

Communications 6 Department of Information and 7 Technology (DICT) shall be primarily tasked to develop and use the eGov PH Super App or other appropriate digital 9 systems or platforms as may be prescribed in the implementing rules and regulations, as a mechanism for Filipinos to avail aid from government agencies. The online or mobile application shall be utilized to facilitate requests for medical, burial, and similar forms of financial assistance.

SEC. 6. Streamlined Processing. - All concerned

government agencies shall process requests for assistance within the day, subject to availability of funds: Provided, That complete documentary requirements are submitted during official working hours.

Requests submitted on weekends, holidays, or outside official working hours shall be processed on the next working day.

SEC. 7. Coordination with the Anti-Red Tape Authority. -

5 The DSWD and all implementing agencies shall coordinate 6 with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) to ensure full 7 compliance with Republic Act No. 9485, as amended by Republic Act No. 11032 or the "Ease of Doing Business and 9 Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018". They shall likewise work with ARTA to address complaints undue involving delays, excessive documentary requirements, or other forms of non-compliance with the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -

Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the DSWD, in coordination with ARTA, DOH, PCSO, PhilHealth, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations.

SEC. 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this

2 Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other 3 provisions and parts hereof not otherwise affected shall 4 remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders,

6 proclamations, rules and regulations, or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after

fifteen (15) days following its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. Approved,