Cash grant can’t be divided among more than one family – DILG exec

MANILA, Philippines — The monthly cash grant given to low-income families under the government’s P200-billion social amelioration program cannot be divided among more than one family, according to Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Under the two-month program, each low-income household would get P5,000 to P8,000 a month, depending on where they live, to tide them over during the quarantine.

But there were reports that some barangay officials had split the amount to be able to cover two or more families, as not all of their constituents were included in the list of beneficiaries.

Malaya said this was not allowed.

“You cannot have that benefit,” he said. —Leila B. Salaverria