File photo shpws Filipinos queue for cash subsidy from the government amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Batasan Hills, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, August 27, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
MANILA, Philippines — Financial aid to be distributed to those affected by the imposition of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the “NCR Plus” bubble may be less than P2,000, but local government officials prefer giving in-kind assistance over cash, Malacañang said Monday.
”I would estimate mga ganyan po yan, it may even be smaller,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if the aid will be a “little below P2,000 or a maximum of P2,000.”
The Palace official noted that local government officials prefer giving in-kind aid to prevent previous incidents of using the cash cash assistance for gambling and other vices.
“‘Yung mayors po, as of last Saturday, nagsasabi they prefer to give in-kind kasi yung mga binigay na ayuda, napakarami po dyan e napunta sa sugal, napunta sa bisyo kaya mas gusto nila yung nakakain na ng kanilang constituents,” Roque said.
(As of last Saturday, mayors said they prefer to give assistance in kind because the cash aid previously given, many used it for gambling and vices that’s why they want to distribute goods that can already be consumed by their constituents.)
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque (File photo from PTV video)
The government earlier assured that aid will be distributed to those unable to work in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna which are under ECQ starting this Monday until Sunday, April 4.
Roque said there is nothing final yet, but the aid will only cover three days of work lost this week given that there is usually no work on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
“Effectively po,” Roque said when asked if the aid will be equivalent to three days of work.
“So I’d like to manage yung expectations na hindi po gaya nung dating binigay natin na ayuda dahil matagalan yung ating ECQ.”
(Effectively. I’d like to manage the expectations that it won’t be the like the previous aid we distributed because that was for a longer period of ECQ.)
Roque said the final decision may be announced during his press briefing this Monday afternoon.
The government last year distributed financial aid worth from P5,000 to P8,000 to indigent and qualified families.