Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 19) — The Palace has apologized for the slow distribution of financial aid to families affected by stricter lockdown measures as the country faces an alarming surge in COVID-19 cases.
“Patuloy po nating ipamamahagi ang ayuda na ₱23 billion. Sa ngayon po ₱4 billion pa lang po ang ating napamimigay,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque during his regular virtual briefing.
[Translation: We will continue distributing the cash aid of ₱23 billion. For now, we have only given out ₱4 billion.]
“Humihingi po tayo ng paumanhin dahil talagang medyo may kabagalan,” he said.
[Translation: We would like to apologize because it has been slow.]
However, the official also reminded the public of health concerns amid efforts to distribute the financial assistance.
“Sa panahon po kasi ng pandemya, hindi natin maiiwasan na talagang mag-ingat dahil baka mamaya mabigay nga yung ayuda, eh magkaroon naman ng COVID yung mga taumbayan,” Roque further explained.
[Translation: In this time of pandemic, we cannot avoid taking much precaution because while the cash aid may have been distributed, our fellow citizens may have contracted COVID too.]
The Departments of the Interior and Local Government, and Social Welfare and Development have already extended the deadline for the distribution of cash aid in the Greater Manila Area as local governments scrambled to meet the initial 15-day period prescribed for such efforts.
However, they have yet to announce the actual number of days of the extension. https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/4/19/DILG–DSWD-OKs-deadline-extension-cash-aid-distribution-.html
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Roque also noted that the financial assistance comes on top of other support handed out by agencies like the DSWD in the form of food packs, and cash aid from the Department of Labor for workers displaced by the pandemic.
