The Manila City government has approved the release additional funding worth P19 million for the distribution of the P1,000 cash assistance for families in the nation’s capital.
About P19,941,000 million will be allocated for the cash assistance for 19,941 families residing in 100 barangays in the city’s six districts.
Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso said the additional funding will be given to families who have not yet received any cash aid from the local government.
Domagoso said that upon reconsideration, the city government approved the requests of barangays to allocate more funds for the distribution of the cash assistance.
The P1,000 cash aid is sourced from the City Amelioration Crisis Assistance Fund or CACAF which was created to financially assist Manila City residents amid the COVID-19 crisis.
“As of today, ang barangay official na nanghingi ng reconsideration ay umabot po sa 100. Itong 19, 941 families, amounting to P19, 941, 000 ang assistance, ay inaprubahan na po para sa inyo,” the Mayor said on Facebook Live on Tuesday night.
The families who have not received the cash assistance were included in the updated masterlist recently submitted by the barangays to the Manila City government.
The Mayor also appealed for understanding from families who have yet to receive their P1,000 cash aid from the city government.
“Maraming hindi nabigyan dahil una, kalituhan ng mga tao sa barangay kung sino ililista. Hindi naman masisisi—pagod, hirap, puyat, tapos natataranta. Iyan ang kinahaharap natin sa krisis, wala ka maiisip na tama o eksaktong formula,” Domagoso said.
“Let’s just converse among each other. Ayaw ko naman po tayong magsisihan. May magandang intensyon, may masama. Gusto ko po isantabinatin lahat iyon. Hinihikayat ko po kayo na patuloy mag-isip ng maganda tungo sa kapwa natin,” he added.
Likewise, Manila will be distributing about 600,000 facemasks to families in all 896 barangays of the nation’s capital.
Domagoso, said that one face mask will be provided to the quarantine pass holder of each family.
Of the 600,000 masks, Domagoso said about 500,000 are washable while 100,000 are surgical face masks.
“Ito po ay ipinagkaloob sa atin ng LBC, pang-proteksyon ninyo habang bumibili ng pagkain sa labas ng inyong mga bahay,” Domagoso said, also via Facebook Live.
“Ito ay ipapamahagi ngayong gabi, dadalhin sa lahat ng barangay—896 barangays ng Lungsod ng Maynila, base sa listahan na ipinagkaloob sa amin ng inyong mga barangay chairman,” he added.
The distribution is in line with the Mayor’s CODE COVID-19 (Contain and Delay) Action Plan intended to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the city.
Meanwhile, 21 residents from a barangay in Tondo, Manila were set to be transferred Wednesday to a quarantine facility for “probable” infection of the coronavirus, after they failed to follow the enhanced community quarantine policy of the government, amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Residents of Barangay 20 in Tondo will also undergo a swab test for the virus, according to Cesar Chavez, chief of staff of Domagoso.
The barangay, commonly known as Parola compound, is one of the most densely-populated areas with more than 40,000 residents.
In a related development, only days after several barangay officials were made to answer by Domagoso for holding illegal cockfighting inside the Manila North Cemetery, he went after other barangay officials in Tondo, after a street boxing match with at least a hundred spectators, including children, was held in their area in Parola.
The total disregard of the anti-COVID measures also prompted Domagoso to order the cancellation of all quarantine passes in Barangay 20, located in the first district of Tondo, as he issued an executive order for its total lockdown from 8 p.m. of April 14, 2020 up to 8 p.m. of April 15, 2020, in order to give way to testing by the Manila Health Department.
This, after over 100 spectators exposed themselves to the possibility of getting the virus by not observing the ECQ, social distancing and the wearing of face masks.
Earlier, Domagoso ordered the special mayor’s reaction team chief Maj. Jhun Ibay to conduct an investigation into the viral video of the street boxing at Pier 2, Parola Compound, Tondo, Manila under Barangay 20, Zone 2.
Ibay, in his report, stated that the boxing event was organized by a certain ‘Gigi’ and was held on April 12 , using children as boxers in exchange for reward money.
On orders of Domagoso, Ibay wrote the barangay officials in charge of the area, directing them to explain as they were in clear violation of a string of laws. They are as follows: Chairman Bryan M. Mondejar and barangay kagawads Nonie P. Dellota, Anthony G. Igus, Larry P. Fuentes, Rufo S. Gacul, Amalia A. Bergoro, Michael John Arinque, Freddie C. Amistoso, all of Barangay 20, Zone 2, District I, Road 10, Tondo, Manila.
During the barangay ‘shutdown’ as provided for by Executive Order No. 19, Domagoso said that ‘all residents of the said barangay shall be strictly confined to their residences and are prohibited from going out of their houses, with the exception of healthcare workers and
officers and members of the police, military, coast guard and other government offices involved in emergency frontline services. Assistant Secretary to the Mayor Manuel Zarcal also signed the order.
Meanwhile, Domagoso said the barangay officials concerned may be charged administratively due to neglect.
The barangay officials were charged for violation of the following: Republic Act No. 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act); Republic Act No. 11469 known as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act” Section 6-A (LGU Officials disobeying national government policies or directives in imposing quarantines); Proclamation No. 922 series of 2020 (Declaring the Stateof Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines) Section 4 (All citizens, residents, tourists and establishment owners urged to act within the bounds of the law to comply with the lawful directives and advisories to be issued by appropriate government agencies to prevent further transmission of the Covid-19 and ensure the safety and well-being at all); Presidential Decree No. 603 (Child Welfare Act) and Republic Act No. 6713 otherwise known as the ‘Code of Conduct and Ethical Standard for Public Official and Employees.