Metro Manila mayors will start distributing the P10.894 billion cash assistance (ayuda) to qualified residents in 16 cities and one municipality that have been placed under hard lockdown until Aug. 20.
Even the city of Manila received a portion of its allocation – some P200 million in initial tranche out of P1.48 billion, according to a well-placed source – after Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso reportedly met with Cabinet officials at the headquarters of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority yesterday.
The meeting came on the heels of a dressing down by President Rodrigo Duterte, who said Monday evening that ayuda will not be released to one local government unit in Metro Manila after seeing chaotic lines at its vaccination site, and that the distribution of the cash aid will instead be handled by the departments of Interior, Social Welfare and Defense.
Duterte, without naming the mayor, said the local chief executive had a “disorganized” mind. Domagoso, without addressing the President, posted on his social media accounts a snapshot of the certificate issued by the DILG hailing the city of Manila for its organized distribution of cash aid.
The issue appears to have been resolved during yesterday’s meeting.
In a Facebook Live address Tuesday evening, Domagoso said: “Thank you very much, President Duterte, DSWD, DILG and the Department of National Defense. The distribution of ayuda will proceed as scheduled tomorrow (Wednesday, Aug. 11),” the mayor said.
Other mayors have also expressed readiness to start distributing the cash assistance in an orderly manner starting today.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said only 100 beneficiaries per hour per barangay will be allowed to ensure that social distancing and other health protocols are observed.
Pateros Mayor Miguel Ponce II said the distribution will begin with two barangays that will accommodate at most 120 beneficiaries per hour and a half.
Mandaluyong Mayor Carmelita Abalos said the schedule for claiming the cash aid will be posted on social media to acvoid overcrowding in payout sites.
Each qualified individual will receive P1,000 cash, with every household getting a maximum of P4,000.
The recipients are those who got the monetary assistance in April and May, as per the database submitted by the LGUs.
Close to 80 percent of the 13 million residents in Metro Manila are set to receive the one-time cash assistance, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.
LGUs have 15 days to finish the distribution of the ayuda, but they are allowed to seek an extension if they are unable to complete it due to the challenges brought about by the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the DBM said on Tuesday it sought the President’s approval for the release of P2.7 billion in cash aid to help residents of Laguna and Bataan cope with the COVID-19 lockdown.
Budget Assistant Secretary Rolly Toledo said P2 billion would go to Laguna and P700 million would go to Bataan.
Poor households Cagayan de Oro City and Iloilo City will also receive cash aid, Roque said.
Laguna, Iloilo City, and Cagayan de Oro will be under ECQ until Aug. 15, Metro Manila until Aug. 20; and Bataan until Aug. 22.
Senator Grace Poe said the cash aid must reach all beneficiaries in the most efficient manner to help see them through the lockdown period.
“With the ECQ depriving many of livelihood and jobs, it is imperative to throw a lifeline to affected families, which also have to cope with higher prices for basic commodities and power,” she said.
Senator Imee Marcos on Tuesday said future social welfare subsidies should not only dole out cash but also recover and create more jobs.
Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on economic affairs, said the distribution of cash aid can be unified with job recruitment, not only to bring down the country’s unemployment rate but also to preserve the self-respect of able-bodied Filipinos willing but hard put to find work amid the pandemic.
“We need a job recovery strategy, not just a show of sympathy. ‘Ayuda’ can be more than just a cash dole-out that’s sustainable and more productive,” Marcos said.
Meanwhile, the City of Taguig is set to release P250,000 financial aid to each barangay in the city to help families affected by the two-week hard lockdown imposed by the government following the local transmission of the more deadly COVID-19 Delta variant.
Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano said each barangay will receive the amount which they can use to purchase additional food packs for their constituents. “This is on top of the regular assistance being released by the local government to all barangays.”
Cayetano said the barangay assistance is apart from the almost 300,000 relief packs being distributed by the city to its citizens. He added the food packs contain rice, canned goods, coffee, energy drinks and instant noodles.
Under the ECQ status, only essential establishments, and industries such as hospitals, groceries, and courier and delivery services, among others, will be allowed to fully operate while the movement of the general public will be limited.