MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Thursday appealed for understanding amid the heavy online bashing that she received for her supposed inaction amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
Speaking in an interview on dzBB, Belmonte explained that even the city’s suppliers are having a hard time meeting the food demand.
“Nagaapela na wag na po ninyo akong i-bash. Kumikilos po tayo, intindihin po nila sana yung laki po ng problema. Hindi naman sa hindi tayo kumikilos pero yung suppliers din po natin nahihirapan mag-supply for 400,000 families pero ginagawan po natin ng paraan,” she said in an interview on dzBB.
(I appeal that residents would not bash me, we are doing out jobs, please understand that we some of our suppliers are struggling because there are 400,000 families in the city, but we are doing everything we can).
Belmonte gave assurance to city residents that there would be enough support from the local government on necessities such as food.
She, however, admitted that the city’s quick response fund may not be enough to sustain the provision of food until the end of the enhanced community quarantine declared over Luzon.
The mayor said the city council members have agreed that barangay officials would have to provide for the food packages of their constituents during the first week of the month-long quarantine.
“On the fourth week, ubos na po ang quick response fund ng lungsod natin, because we calculated the amount of money we have to spend—kahit for three weeks na lang po dahil sagot na po ng barangay ang first week—mahigit P1 billion ang kailangan natin,” she said.
(On the fourth week, our fund will run out because we calculated the money we have to spend—except for the fourth week because the barangays would shoulder it—for only the three weeks, we would need P1 billion).
“Ang quick response fund po ng lungsod ay P400 million lang more or less at marami pa pong dapat asikasuhin dun sa quick response fund, hindi lang po pagkain,” she added.
(The quick response fund of the city is only P400 million more or less and we have other things to address as well not just food).
The enhanced community quarantine took effect on March 17 and will be in effect until April 13. The measure sought to restrict residents to their homes to contain the virus by suspending the operation of public transportation, regulating the provision for food and essential services; and instituting a heightened presence of uniformed personnel who will enforce the quarantine.
Belmonte however said that the city government would still be able to provide food supplies to its residents for the remaining weeks of the quarantine period.
Belmonte said the local government is working with the private sectors and appealing for help from some government officials like senators or congressmen.
Quezon City has a total of 31 COVID-19 cases so far.