Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 30) – The distribution of pandemic aid in the National Capital Region is now 75% complete, with around ₱8.4 billion already distributed by local governments to qualified beneficiaries, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said Friday.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año commended the Metro Manila LGUs for the systematic and orderly distribution of financial assistance amid the high COVID-19 infections in the region.
“I am confident that the NCR LGUs will be able to complete the distribution by May 15. In fact, some are now close to finishing the distribution of the financial assistance,” Año said.
Almost 23 million beneficiaries from low-income households are expected to benefit from the government’s latest social amelioration program, which was implemented when the National Capital Region and four nearby provinces were placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) last March 29. Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna – known as NCR Plus – are currently under modified ECQ until May 14.
Each qualified resident may receive cash or in-kind assistance of ₱1,000 each, or up to a maximum ₱4,000 for a family. The amount was described by critics as measly compared to the ₱5,000 to ₱8,000 worth of subsidy provided under Bayanihan 1 in 2020 amid the raging health crisis.
The Budget Department allocated around ₱11.1 billion for qualified Metro Manila beneficiaries, almost half of the ₱22.9 billion funding for the distribution of financial assistance in NCR Plus.
The Interior Department said about ₱16.29 billion worth of cash assistance were already distributed to NCR Plus beneficiaries.
A total of 8,410,659 beneficiaries received their cash aid in Metro Manila from April 6 to 29. Caloocan City is the leading Metro Manila LGU in distribution with 96.3% or ₱1.29 billion given to qualified citizens, followed by Quezon City (94.96% or ₱2.36 billion), Mandaluyong City (92.51% or ₱337million), and Navotas City (90.68% or ₱181million).
On the other hand, around 67% of funds allocated for financial aid have been distributed to qualified citizens in the four provinces surrounding Metro Manila.
As of April 29, Laguna topped the distribution among the four provinces with 81.29% or ₱2.2 billion dispersed to beneficiaries. Bulacan followed with 67.22% distribution rate or ₱1.99 billion, Rizal with 64.61% or ₱1.69 billion, and Cavite with 57.82% or ₱1.99 billion.
