MANILA, Philippines — The Pasig City government is preparing to distribute 400,000 food packs and 5,000 bottles of vitamins to its residents amid tighter quarantine measures set in place in the entire Luzon due to COVID-19.
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said Wednesday their goal was to deliver the food packs to residents by the end of the week.
“Sa kasalukuyan ay inihahanda na namin ang Purchase Request para sa 400,000 food packs,” Sotto said in a Facebook post.
(We are currently preparing the Purchase Request for 400,000 food packs.)
Sotto said this is to help those who could not go to work due to the enhanced community quarantine imposed all over Luzon from March 17 up to 12 a.m. Aprul 13, 2020.
“Tulong po ito ng lokal na pamahalaan sa mga nangangailangan, lalo na’t maraming ‘di nakakapagtrabaho ngayong #communityQuarantine. Magtulungan po tayo at sumunod sa quarantine para mas mabilis din nating malagpasan ito,” Sotto said.
(This is the local government’s help to those in need, especially that many could not report to work during the community quarantine. Let’s help each other and obey the quarantine so we could immediately overcome it.)
The procurement of the food packs will cost the Pasig City government a maximum of P158 million, Sotto said.
Apart from food packs, Sotto said the local government would also distribute 5,000 bottles of vitamins, which was offered to them with a 10-percent discount.
“Ipamimigay na natin ‘to sa mga barangay bukas. Nasa 5k bottles po ito kaya alam natin na ‘di lahat ay mabibigyan agad; ang mahalaga lumakas ang resistensiya natin bilang komunidad. May susunod pang batch na darating,” Sotto said.
(We will distribute these to the barangays tomorrow. It’s about 5,000 bottles and we know that not everyone will be given immediately; what’s important is that we boost our immune system as a community. Another batch is soon to arrive.)
Luzon was earlier placed under an enhanced community quarantine, where “strict home quarantine shall be implemented in all households; transportation shall be suspended; provision for food and essential services shall be regulated; and heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce quarantine procedures” are implemented.
The Philippines is now under a state of calamity due to the rising cases of COVID-19, which originated from China’s Hubei province in late 2019.
Health officials have so far recorded 202 persons infected with COVID-19 in the country. Of the number, 17 have died while seven have recovered.