DILG: 3.4 million Metro Manila residents get ECQ aid

MANILA, Philippines — Some 3.4 million beneficiaries of the government cash aid from Metro Manila have already received assistance, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Friday.

In a televised briefing, DILG spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said P3.4 billion — or P1,000 each, was already distributed to the beneficiaries who had been affected by the two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the surge of coronavirus cases within the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble.

“Gumanda na po, bumilis na po yung ating pamimigay ng ayuda. Sa NCR po, 3.4 million beneficiaries na po ang ating nabigyan ng ayuda which is equivalent to P3.4 billion,” Malaya said.

(Our distribution of aid has improved, has hastened. In NCR, 3.4 million beneficiaries already received aid which is equivalent to P3.4 billion.)

The government targets to distribute aid to 22.9 million beneficiaries not only in Metro Manila but also in Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.

There are 11.1 million target beneficiaries in Metro Manila, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said.

The assistance, worth P1,000 for each individual, but not more than P4,000 for each family, was meant to help residents in the NCR Plus whose livelihoods were affected by the strict protocols from March 29 to April 11.

Despite the NCR Plus downgraded to MECQ, distribution of aid still continues in the affected areas.

EDV