MANILA, Philippines — The first wave of the P200 billion cash assistance to poor families will be released in Manila starting on Friday, an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Thursday.
“We are launching tomorrow the biggest assistance package to poor families in the history of the Republic of the Philippines. Around 200 billion in assistance will be given starting tomorrow,” DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya told CNN Philippines’ when asked about how the government will address the demand for food assistance.
“We are coordinating with Yorme (Manila Mayor Isko Moreno) so that we can do the first wave tomorrow,” Malaya added.
Under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, P200 billion was allocated for the emergency assistance fund of poor families.
Families in Metro Manila will get P8,000 in cash subsidy each month for two months while families from the other regions will be receiving cash aid of between P5,000 to P6,500.
On the issue of protesters demanding food aid from the Quezon City government, Malaya appealed to leftist groups not to “agitate” the public during the enhanced community quarantine to contain the COVID-19 crisis.
“To the leftist groups, do not take advantage of the situation. Because we all know their agenda and they want to take advantage of the situation to undermine the government,” Malaya said.
“It is not isolated we also have reports coming from various parts of Metro Manila of leftist groups agitating the masses to conduct protest actions and I hope they will stop because the President already made clear the position of government in this regard,” he added.
On Wednesday, 20 protesters who demanded to be given food aid by the local government were arrested by the police in Quezon City after they allegedly organized the protest without a permit.
In a public address on Wednesday night, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to shoot the leftists and violators of quarantine protocols if they will challenge the government amid the COVID-19 outbreak.