Pasig’s own amelioration program covers all rich and poor

Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto is seen in this file photo being briefed by officials of The Medical City. From the Facebook page of Mayor Vico Sotto

MANILA, Philippines — Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said their local government’s amelioration program will not only be limited to low-income earners but will cover all families in the city.

Sotto though urged more fortunate families to refuse to accept the cash assistance or to donate them instead.

This came after Sotto announced that the local government of Pasig would provide a subsidy to its residents not covered by the national government’s social amelioration program (SAP). He said that of the 206,000 families they listed to receive SAP, only 93,000 were approved.

Sotto said the local government’s subsidy would amount to P8,000.

“Hindi po kami mamimili kung sinong bibigyan basta pamilya na taga-Pasig, bibiyan namin. Hindi kailangan na botante o wala ng mga requirement na ganun. Basta residente ng Pasig, bibigyan po,” Sotto said in an interview with radio station DZMM on Wednesday.

(We would not choose who will receive and who will not. As long as a family lives in Pasig, we will give them assistance. They do not have to be voters, we don’t have a requirement like that. As long as you are a resident of Pasig, you will be given.)

Asked if this would include non-low-income households such as residents of posh villages like in Barangay San Antonio, Sotto said they are not choosing who will receive the subsidy.

“Ina-assume na po natin kung tatanggapin nila yung tulong ay nangangailangan po sila [We are just assuming that if they will accept the assistance, then they are in need],” Sotto said.

Despite this, Sotto urged more fortunate families to refuse to accept the assistance if they can. Another option for them is to accept the assistance and then donate it to someone else they know in need of assistance.

“Meron din pong area sa Barangay San Antonio na hindi naman po mayaman pero mayroon din pong lugar na talagang may kaya ‘yung mga tao pero io-open po natin sa lahat yang financial assistance kasi alam natin kahit po middle class, sabihin natin na may kaya, pero nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa quarantine,” Sotto said.

(There are areas in Barangay San Antonio that is not rich. But there are also areas where more fortunate families live but we are opening this to everyone because even those in middle class, even if they are more fortunate, there are people who lost jobs because of the quarantine.)

“Wala tayong datos na eksakto kung sino talaga ‘yung nangangailangan na to the last person alam natin yang bilang. So io-open natin sa lahat. Hinihikayat na lang natin yang mga may kaya o okay pa naman na huwag na lang po nila tanggapin yung tulong or tanggapin nila, ibigay nila sa mas nangangailangan,” he added.

(We don’t have the exact data on who really are in need up to the last person we know the count. So we will just open this for everyone. But we are urging more fortunate families to not accept the assistance or they accept it then donate it to those in need.)

Sotto said that after studying the cash position of the city, they found that they can extend assistance to those who will not receive the national government’s amelioration program.

The mayor said they allotted P1 billion for the local government’s assistance program.

Edited by JPV