MANILA, Philippines — There will be no financial assistance to given by the government to low-income families this June as the country shifts to more relaxed quarantine measures, Malacañang said Saturday.
“Tong buwan ng Hunyo, dahil lahat na tayo ay nasa general community quarantine (GCQ) na ay wala pong ayuda (This month of June, because we are all under GCQ, there will be no more aid),” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in the Laging Handa press briefing.
“Pero dun po sa resolusyon ng IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) na naapruba, meron pa ring mga barangay, mga zona, mga subdivision na pwede pong ma-subject to ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) pa rin sang-ayon po sa order ng mga city mayors,” he added.
(But as per the resolution of the IATF that has been approved, there are barangays, zones, subdivisions that may be placed under ECQ that is in line with the order of the city mayors.)
“Yung mga pocket na nasa ECQ, syempre po hahanapan ng paraan para mabigyan pa rin ng ayuda (In those pockets under ECQ, we will find a way to give them assistance),” he further said.
Pangasinan, Region II, Region III, Region IV-A (Calabarzon), Metro Manila, Region VII, Zamboanga City, Davao City, Cebu City and Mandaue City are set to be placed under GCQ starting June 1, while areas not mentioned will be under a modified enhanced community quarantine.
Under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act of 2020, or Republic Act No. 11469, 18 million low-income families affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis will receive cash subsidies from P5,000 to P8,000 for two months under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
For the second tranche of the SAP, Malacañang has ordered the inclusion of 5 million families.