Belmonte: Punishment awaits barangay, city execs who fail to deliver food packs in QC

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government has issued a stern warning to barangay captains and other city officials who would play politics and favorites in the distribution of food assistance amid the prevailing enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said that “food packs should be given to those in need, regardless of political affiliation and preference.”

She said barangay captains and city officials who will refuse to heed this order will be suspended.

“Favoritism and politics have no place during this time of need,” Belmonte said in a statement.

Belmonte issued this tough notice after some poor families affected by the quarantine in Quezon City went to the streets and demanded food assistance from the local government.

“This should not be happening because we have already distributed one million food packs in Quezon City,” she pointed out.

Belmonte then encouraged her constituents to not hesitate to contact her office through [email protected] if they have not received food packs from the local government.

As of April 1, the Quezon City health department has recorded a total of 174 people in the locality infected with COVID-19, a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2.

The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic.