THE GOVERNMENT is “very diligent” in distributing emergency subsidies to Filipinos to help them cope with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday.
This, after Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año informed him that a total of PHP22,838,875 or 99.67 percent of financial assistance have already been distributed to qualified beneficiaries.
Año, during a meeting with Duterte and select Cabinet officials at Malacañan Palace in Manila on Wednesday night, said around 93 local government units (LGUs) have already finished the aid distribution.
Other LGUs, Año said, have returned the money disbursed to them because some beneficiaries did not get the cash assistance.
Duterte lauded the DILG’s efforts to ensure the speedy distribution of financial assistance to eligible families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It’s DILG [that is] very diligent in giving the money. Sila ang magbigay. Nakikita naman ninyo (It is in charge of distributing the assistance, as you can see). Pay attention to the figures then you would know magkano ang binibigay ng gobyerno na ayuda para sa mga Pilipino na mahihirap (how much assistance the government is giving to poor Filipinos),” he said.
Qualified beneficiaries affected by the two-week implementation of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus last month have received a maximum of PHP4,000, based on the guidelines issued by DILG and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
NCR Plus, composed of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, was placed under ECQ from March 29 to April 11 due to the sudden spike in Covid-19 infections.
Duterte earlier approved the release of PHP22.9 billion for the distribution of financial aid to affected families in NCR Plus.
Duterte said the government is doing everything to ensure the systematic and orderly distribution of assistance.
“What is being given to you now by the DILG, ito yung tulong [is the assistance]. It runs into billions,” he said. (Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos)
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