MANILA, Philippines — The distribution of cash aid in the so-called National Capital Region (NCR) Plus is nearing completion, with only around 76,000 beneficiaries waiting to receive the assistance, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said during the taped briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte that aired Wednesday night.
Año said 99.67% – that is 22,838,875 out 22,915,422 beneficiaries — have received the aid amounting to over P22.8 billion in Metro Manila, Bulacan Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna — the areas that make up the NCR Plus.
According to Año, some local government units returned some of the funds allotted to them after failing to locate the beneficiaries. He did not disclose the amount.
“We will finish distributing the rest and those that did not finish 100 percent will be asked to explain,” Año said in Filipino.
For his part, Duterte said this was proof that the government had been doing its part in giving assistance to the public.
“You’re saying that the government is not extending help. We are running out of funds because of the assistance. The DILG has been very diligent in giving the money. They are the ones distributing the aid, as you can see,” Duterte said in Filipino.
“Pay attention to the figures. Then you would know how much aid the government is giving to poor Filipinos,” he added.