Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 3) – Malacañang is counting on Congress and the local government units to provide another round of financial aid to poor families covered by the two-week lockdown which starts Tuesday.
Residents of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite will return to strict stay-at-home rules from August 4 to 18 as the government seeks to slow down COVID-19 infections with total infections now at more than 103,000 nationwide.
However, unlike the March to May lockdown, the poorest families left with little options to earn are not assured of help.
“Congress will have to appropriate funds para dito sa third ayuda na ibibigay natin sa Metro Manila at sa apat na probinsya ng Region 4-A at Bulacan [for the third tranche of cash aid which we will give to families in Metro Manila and the residents of the provinces in Region 4-A and Bulacan],” Roque said during his Monday briefing.
Roque said the budget may be included in the ₱140-billion fund under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act pending in Congress, which will serve as a fresh stimulus program amid the pandemic. The measure may still be amended by the bicameral conference committee composed of House and Senate members before it is endorsed for signing into law.
“Sa panandalian po, titingnan natin kung anong kakayahan ng DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) na magbigay ng kahit kakaunting ayuda dito sa mga lugar na ito,” he said. “Inaasahan din natin na magbibigay kahit papaano ng ayuda ang mga local government units.”
[Translation: For now, we are looking at the capacity of DSWD to extend even a small amount to these areas. We also expect LGUs to provide some form of assistance.]
President Rodrigo Duterte placed the greater Manila area under modified enhanced community quarantine on Sunday night to respond to the call of medical frontliners for a timeout. Cases have been surging the past few days, particularly in Metro Manila which was the original epicenter of the local outbreak.
Members of the economic team have earlier resisted placing Metro Manila under a second lockdown, saying the local economy could not afford it anymore.
However, Duterte gave in to the plea of frontliners, who have been treating patients for the past five months and are getting infected with the virus themselves.
Roque said authorities consulted Metro Manila mayors on Sunday, saying they acknowledge limited funds. Roque said they will scour for whatever money they can still find.
The government earlier set aside ₱200 billion to extend cash assistance worth ₱5,000 to ₱8,000 for some 18 million families, which included an additional 5 million households, for the Social Amelioration Program. Funds were allotted through the original Bayanihan to Heal as One Act which expired last June, although distribution of the second wave of cash transfers is ongoing.
The second wave was meant to cover the basic needs of beneficiaries during the second month of lockdown back in May.
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