LGUs may start cash aid distribution ‘hopefully’ by Saturday — DSWD

‘AYUDA’ LINE Residents queue to receive their cash aid under the government’s social amelioration program. —RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — Cash aid for individuals affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila may be distributed hopefully by Saturday, an official of the Department of Social Welfare and Develeopment (DSWD) said Friday.

DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said in an interview over Teleradyo that under a memorandum issued by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, the fund for the financial aid will be directly transferred to local government units (LGUs).

Once a circular and notice of cash allocation are issued, it may be released tentatively by Friday, and the LGUs may begin aid disbursement the next day, she said.

“Yes, depende po yan ‘no sa mga local government units how they will execute or what mechanisms they will adapt para po mapabilis ‘yun pong distribution na gagawin nila,” she said when asked if the aid disbursement would be possible by Saturday.

(Yes, [but] it depends on local government units how they will execute or what mechanisms they will adapt to expedite their distribution.)

Dumlao said there was really no great changes in the process that they have adopted in the past when government first implemented an enhanced community quarantine.

She noted that the DSWD was only tasked with identification of which families or individuals are entitled to the cash aid, which was meant to cushion the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the indigent sector or those who lost their means of livelihood.

“We will have to check with the Department of Budget and Management kung ito pong proseso na ito ay kanila na pong isinasagawa o nasagawa na po,” she said.

(We will have to check with the Department of Budget and Management if the process has been accomplished or currently being carried out.)

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier approved the aid distribution of P1,000 per individual but not more than P4,000 per household under ECQ.

EDV