Samar town mayor seeks more time to distribute cash aid

TACLOBAN CITY –– The mayor of Tarangan town, Samar province is seeking an extension in the distribution of the cash aid under the government’s special amelioration program (SAP) due to the COVID-19 mass testing conducted in the municipality.

Mayor Arnel Tan said the mass testing conducted by the Department of Health started on Thursday.

Swabs were also taken from him, his wife, and several employees of the local government as they also got into contact with some of those who tested positive for the COVID-19.

Tarangan is considered the epicenter of COVID-19 in Eastern Visayas with nine confirmed cases.

The region’s other cases include two persons from Burauen town in Leyte, and one each from Calbayog City, Samar, and Catarman town in Northern Samar.

Except for one, all COVID-19 cases of the town are connected with the local government unit.

Seven are working at the Tarangnan Community Hospital and another at the municipal disaster risk reduction management office.

“If the result of the mass testing will yield positive, this will pose a problem to us in so far as the distribution of SAP. If this will happen, we will ask for an extension at the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),” Tan said.

Tan said he would not risk the safety of his people.

“This could only further spread the virus in our town if we continue the distribution,” he said.

At least 2,133 individuals were supposed to receive the P5,000 financial a assistance in Tarangnan, a fourth class town whose more than 25,000 people largely depend on fishing and agriculture.

But since the start of the distribution of SAP early this week, only 922 had received the money. Tarangan is now under lockdown after the number of its COVID-19 cases rose to nine last week.

LZB