DSWD: P73-B financial aid for Luzon lockdown given to LGUs

MANILA, Philippines – At least P73.14 billion worth of financial assistance for those who are adversely affected by the Luzon-wide lockdown have been given to various local government units (LGUs), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said.

DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao on Sunday said that of the funds, P6.773 billion were given to those who were not part of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries.

The funds are still part of the government’s social amelioration program (SAP) which was mandated by Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act of 2020 which implemented measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This data was as of Saturday evening, the DSWD noted.

At least 875,971 persons who received the cash grants were not covered by the 4Ps, while P16.3 billion was given to 3.7 million beneficiaries who have been included in the 4Ps even before the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) over Luzon was enforced.

With the enforcement of the ECQ, all work except for those involving frontline services like hospitals and food chains were suspended.  The lockdown also meant a loss of income for informal workers who rely on subsistence jobs and for those whose jobs cannot adjust to a work-from-home setup.

In accordance with R.A. 11469, the government also implemented the SAP which caters to 18 million Filipinos in impoverished sectors.  Previously, DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said the delay in the SAP’s rollout was due to the lack of a list from LGUs.

Also, President Rodrigo Duterte’s report to Congress mentioned that as of April 13, some 195 LGUs have yet to finish drafting a memorandum of agreement with the DSWD, which would ensure that they get the law-mandated aid.

READ: DSWD: P58.58-B worth of social aid transferred to LGUs nationwide

READ: 95 cities, towns, still have no aid due to unfinished MOAs with DSWD

As of Sunday afternoon, the Department of Health (DOH) said the country has 6,259 COVID-19 positive patients. Of this number, 409 have died while at least 572 have recovered.

Worldwide, over 2.33 million persons have been infected by the coronavirus. Of the number, 155,689 have died of the disease and 599,692 have recovered from it.

READ: DOH: PH now has over 6,000 people positive for COVID-19 virus

/MUF