Palace targets mid-April for release of aid to communities under ECQ

PROOF OF AID A social worker documents the distribution of cash aid to residents of Barangay San Isidro in Parañaque City by having them photographed—together with the wad of P8,000 cash during the lockdown back in 2020. INQUIRER file photo / RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — The tentative release of assistance from the government to those affected by the imposition of a week-long enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and four adjacent provinces could be “more or less” by mid-April, Malacañang said Monday.

However, this is yet to be finalized, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said, saying that he heard the information from Finance Secretary Carlo Dominguez

“Ang narinig ko kay Secretary Dominguez, but this is tentative, more or less mga kalagitnaan ng April,” he said in a Palace briefing.

(I heard from Secretary Dominguez, but this is tentative, more or less, it will be released by mid-April.)

This release would already be after the implementation of the ECQ, which is set to end on April 4, provided that it will not be extended.

For his part, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said allotment releases and cash allocations will be finalized “at the latest” by Tuesday, should the President approve the department’s recommendation for the aid.

He said some 22.9 million beneficiaries from Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna are expected to receive aid from the government, which accounts for 80% of low-income households in the said areas.

Earlier,  Senator Christopher “Bong” Go disclosed that P23 billion is available to fund another round of aid. Go also said the DBM recommended that the assistance be given in kind.

Avisado confirmed that there are indeed P23 billion unutilized funds that could be tapped for the aid. He added that the cash aid will be lower than those given during the first round, which was under Bayanihan 1 law.

Under the Bayanihan 1 implemented last year, P5,000 to P8,000 subsidy was given to low-income households.

Roque earlier said financial aid to be distributed to those affected by ECQ in the “NCR Plus” bubble may be less than P2,000.

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to announce his decision on the financial assistance under ECQ as well as the quarantine classification for April 5 to April 30, Roque said.

JPV