By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

RECIPIENTS of public assistance found using their Quest cards to subsidize their vices run the risk of being dropped from the program under a bill that seeks to curb abuse of the welfare system.
“I have received reports that some public assistance recipients are using their Quest cards to buy alcohol and tobacco products. We should set up a system to regulate the welfare program,” Sen. Adolpho Palacios Sr., D-Ordot/Chalan Pago, said in introducing Bill 91.
Bill 91 prohibits the use of the welfare assistance program for the purchase of alcohol and tobacco products. Penalties would be imposed on violators.
The Quest card, issued by the Department of Health and Social Services, can be used like a regular debit card. Users can use the card to buy their groceries or withdraw cash from an automated telemachine.
“The Quest card should be used only to purchase food. But once they withdraw money and use it to buy beer or cigarettes, there’s no way to tell if that money came from Quest,” said Palacios.
The public welfare assistance program is aimed at temporarily assisting individuals and families in their time of need through providing funds for basic necessities such as food, water, clothing and medicine.