FILE PHOTO: Residents of Baseco, Manila on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, line up to get their financial assistance after the government extended the enhanced community quarantine or ECQ from April 5-11, due to the surge of COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region. Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) clarified on Saturday that local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila are yet to set a schedule for the distribution of cash aid to individuals affected by the two-week enhanced community quarantine.
The DSWD issued this explanation after its spokesperson, Director Irene Dumlao, was quoted as saying that the payout for the financial assistance may possibly start by August 7.
In an interview on Friday, August 6, a DZMM TeleRadyo anchor asked Dumlao: “For now ho ba, ‘yung lahat ho ba ng LGUs ngayon naibigay niyo na ho ‘yung pondo? Na-download na ho ba sa kanila? Let’s say, NCR ho, ibig sabihin nasa LGU na lang kung Maynila, Quezon City, how soon or how fast they can distribute that sa mga beneficiaries nila. Pero, ang pera ho nandun na ho ba sa mga LGUs for now?
To which Dumlao replied: “For the National Capital Region, sabi ko nga po kanina, we hope that the DBM will issue na po ‘no ‘yung notice of cash allocation sa mga LGUs within the day.”
She was then asked: “Within the day. Okay. So, ibig sabihin, by tomorrow, posible na meron naman makukuha, ‘di ba?”
“Yes, depende po ‘yan ‘no sa mga local government units how they will execute or what mechanisms they will adopt para po mapabalis ‘yun pong distribution na gagawin nila,” Dumlao answered.
Dumlao also explained in the interview that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will directly transfer the fund to the LGUs.
The DBM, meanwhile, issued Local Budget Circular No. 138 which sets the budget parameters for the cash aid on Friday.
Following this, the DSWD, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of National Defense created a joint memorandum circular which will be the LGUs’ guide in the cash aid payout.
The circular has been signed Saturday, August 7, and will be released by the DILG to LGUs for their scheduling of the cash aid distribution.
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