HOLOPIS.COM, JAKARTA – Indonesia’s Government Communications Agency (Bakom) is accelerating the digitalization of the country’s social protection system to improve the accuracy of social assistance distribution, with officials reporting major progress in updating beneficiary data in Surabaya, East Java.
Muhammad Qodari, head of Bakom, visited Tambaksari District in Surabaya to review the implementation of the digital social protection program, one of President Prabowo Subianto’s key initiatives aimed at ensuring government aid reaches eligible recipients more accurately.
The program integrates digital technology and data from multiple government agencies to improve the management of Indonesia’s social assistance system, reducing errors while ensuring assistance is distributed fairly.
“We came to Surabaya to directly observe one of President Prabowo’s strategic programs, the digitalization of social assistance. The goal is to ensure the country’s enormous social protection budget truly reaches those who are entitled to receive it. Those who qualify should receive assistance, while those who no longer meet the criteria should not,” Qodari said, Holopis.com reported, Thursday (30/7).
He noted that Indonesia allocates approximately Rp1,300 trillion to social protection, accounting for nearly 30% of the state budget, making accurate and transparent beneficiary data essential.
Digital System Identifies Ineligible and Overlooked Recipients
Qodari acknowledged that Indonesia’s social assistance program has long faced challenges, with some ineligible households continuing to receive benefits while many deserving families were left out.
He said the new digital system is designed to produce more objective and accountable beneficiary data, allowing the government to improve targeting.
During the visit, officials from the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs and the Surabaya City Government briefed Qodari on the program’s progress.
As of July 28, 2026, the city had completed data collection for 99.82% of households, covering 1,001,688 family cards.
“Implementation is nearly complete. God willing, within the next one or two days, every household in Surabaya will have been registered. What’s particularly encouraging is the strong collaboration between municipal agencies and district administrations, which has helped the program move forward effectively,” he said.
The updated database has already led to significant changes in the list of aid recipients.
Around 25,000 households were removed after being found no longer eligible, while approximately 51,000 households that had previously been excluded despite meeting the requirements have now been added.
“Imagine that around 51,000 households should have been receiving social assistance but weren’t. Today, they are finally receiving the fairness they deserve through the digitalization of our social protection system,” Qodari said.
He expressed confidence that the digital transformation would lay the foundation for a social assistance system that is more accurate, transparent, and equitable in the years ahead.
