Manila LGU gives P100K reward to over 200 barangays with no new Covid-19 cases

MANILA, Philippines — Over 200 barangays in the City of Manila will receive P100,000 each as a reward for not recording additional cases of Covid-19 in December and January, Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said Tuesday.

“Two hundred plus and ating Covid-free barangays (There are 200 plus Covid-19 free barangays) from the past two months, for the entire December and January,” Moreno said in an interview with reporters when asked for updates on barangays that recorded no new cases of Covid-19 for the past two months.

In November last year, the Manila City government awarded P100,000 each to 73 barangays that recorded no additional Covid-19 cases from September to October.

Moreno said that of these 73 barangays, 28 were still included in the new list of beneficiaries.

“It’s doable. When it is doable, it is duplicable, and I hope other barangays will do the same,” he said of efforts of village officials to keep additional Covid-19 cases at bay.

Moreno said the more than 200 barangays will also receive P100,000 each as what was given to the 73 barangays last November.

“The logic is it is cheaper to spend for that kind of amount of money. It certifies na in our own little way, naaappreciate ng syudad, na ito ang aming appreciation (that the city government appreciates their efforts),” he said.

He added that the cash reward will also help augment the funds of barangays.

The initiative is also “cost-effective,” according to the mayor, since encouraging barangays to remain Covid-19 free will help lower costs in hospitalization and other health equipment.

Asked if there would be the third batch of beneficiaries for the cash reward system, Moreno said: “Malay mo. Bakit hindi? (Maybe. Why not?)”

JE