Police to help distribute cash aid to poor Filipinos

PRESIDENT RORDRIGO Duterte has tapped the police and military to help in aiding poor Filipinos as the Philippines continues to battle the spread of the deadly coronavirus in the country.

Duterte instructed the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to assist the government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the distribution of cash assistance indigent and other qualified families that were affected by the strict implementation of the enhanced community quarantine.

“We appeal to the public to remain in their houses and observe patience while waiting for the distribution of the cash assistance to help them cope with the adverse effects brought by this pandemic.”

“President Duterte has already given his word that this cash assistance will be distributed properly and in the soonest possible time—the main reason why he decided to cut the bureaucracy in the distribution by entrusting the cash assistance distribution to the DSWD, police and the military,” said Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazer, commander of the Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield.

Eleazar, also the current PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, also asked the public to respect the rules that will be implemented for the orderly and quick distribution of the cash assistance.

Upon instruction from PNP Chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa, Eleazar said the task force is now coordinating with the DSWD for the orderly distribution of the cash assistance for qualified beneficiaries of the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

“The Chief PNP has also given me the instruction to mobilize all police forces across the country for this effort. As such, all unit commanders and chiefs of police down to the municipal and city levels have already been directed to start coordinating with the local offices of the DSWD in their respective areas of jurisdiction and map out plans to ensure the quick and smooth distribution of the cash assistance in their respective areas of responsibilities,” he said.

“The goal here is to ensure the security of the local social workers tasked to distribute the cash assistance while ensuring that the rules on social distancing and home quarantine are strictly observed for the health safety of both the DSWD and police personnel, and the beneficiaries and their respective families,” Eleazar added.

DSWD said it would no longer give out food packs to poor families, but they will get P5,000 to P8,000 in emergency cash aid under the SAP. Some 18 million low-income families are expected to benefit from this program.

Eleazar strongly warned those who would take advantage of the program to instigate disorder and spread fake news aimed at agitating the public to violate the rules of the enhanced community quarantine and other existing laws.

“We will use the full force of the law to make sure that you will pay for any of your action that will compromise the security and health safety of not only the DSWD and PNP personnel, but also the people in the community.”

“This is not the time for selfishness and other interests. Let us work together to help our kababayan who are in dire need of government assistance in this time crisis. We are Filipinos. Let us show each and every one and the rest of the world who we are, what we are made of. Together, we will fight as one, and together, we will heal us one,” he said. (Mindanao Examiner)

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