ECQ ayuda distribution begins Wednesday

MANILA, Philippines — Residents in Metro Manila affected by the lockdown will start receiving cash assistance from the government tomorrow, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.

“Wednesday is the agreement of the mayors (for distribution), it could be earlier if some LGUs can carry it out,” Roque said yesterday, noting that President Duterte ordered local officials to distribute the cash aid “at the soonest time possible.”

Roque said some 10.9 million residents from low-income families in the capital are expected to benefit from the government’s latest P10.894-billion financial aid, sourced from 2020 savings and dividends.

He added that government would also release additional funds for Laguna and Bataan, which were placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) until Aug. 15 and Aug. 22, respectively. Like in Metro Manila, residents of these provinces will receive P1,000 per individual and a maximum of P4,000 per family.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said that starting Wednesday, mayors have been given up to 15 days to finish distributing the cash aid as dictated by a joint memorandum circular among the DILG, Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of National Defense.

Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista and Metro Manila Council chairman and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said LGUs can choose the most efficient and effective way of releasing the cash assistance to beneficiaries.

“There will be mixed modes of distribution, either electronic wallet or face-to-face but there will be protocols to ensure order,” Olivarez told Teleradyo yesterday.

For example, Olivarez said Parañaque would send the financial assistance to cash cards, while Muntinlupa and Makati will use GCash, a virtual wallet developed by Globe Telecom.

In previous rounds of financial aid distribution, more populous cities like Pasig and Quezon City have asked to extend their deadlines, citing greater logistical challenges.

“Based on our experience, that’s two weeks. It’s impossible for us considering the size of Quezon City. We’re talking about 840,000 to 850,000 families so I have requested 21 days… yes, the ECQ will be over by then, but if they had started planning earlier, I suppose we could’ve started distributing on the first day,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said in an interview on ANC.

For her part, Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez appealed to government to also extend financial help to micro, small and medium enterprises to help resuscitate the country’s battered economy.

Labor groups said workers are still waiting for the financial aid promised by the government. “Lockdown or not, in times of pandemic and crisis, enough aid should be given to all,” Kilusang Mayo Uno secretary general Jerome Adonis said.

“We need a state-driven workers’ recovery based on a state program of employment guarantee, subsidies to small and micro-enterprises, a new system for universal basic income and aggressive investment in public health infrastructure,” Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino chair Leody de Guzman said. – Neil Jayson Servallos, Ghio Ong, Delon Porcalla, Mayen Jaymalin

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