THERE’S a suggestion that the government consider granting more ayuda to residents of cities outside Metro Manila that are under “hard” lockdown to stop cases of the highly transmissible Delta COVID-19 variant from exploding. After all, hunger is not something confined to the National Capital Region (NCR) alone. It is a national phenomenon.
Sen. Joel Villanueva couldn’t have put it more clearly: “If aid is limited to Metro Manila, then are we saying na hindi kumakalam ang sikmura ng mga taga-Cagayan de Oro at Iloilo? The budget department should look into this. No one should be left behind. People subjected to the same quarantine restrictions should be entitled to the same quarantine assistance.”
Indeed, the fact that other cities have populations smaller than Metro Manila would make it easier for the national government to channel household aid there. Population-wise, Metro Manila is 20 times the size of Cagayan de Oro, 100 times bigger than Gingoog City. NCR has 37 times more people than Mandaue. Iloilo City is just one-sixth the population of Quezon City.
The cities of Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog are currently under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), even ahead of Metro Manila’s which is set to begin on Aug. 6. Take note that Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro are regional centers that are national revenue contributors just like NCR cities.
There is a suggestion, too, on how to release or distribute the monetary ayuda – the quickest and best way to download ECQ cash aid directly to the public is through the Department of Labor and Employment, Social Security System and Government Service Insurance System which use money transfer outlets as well as electronic payment systems. Sadly, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) way is slow despite their use of accredited banks. In Iloilo city and province, it even left the task to local government units.
For residents under DSWD’s social pension and 4Ps program, they already have the Landbank cash cards. The suggestion is to download to the recipients’ cash cards the whole third quarter cash subsidies due them from July to September. For all government employees in areas under ECQ, modified ECQ, and heightened general community quarantine, some of the one-time yearly cash allowances could be released this August. All these can be done within one week’s time since they would be using established channels and payroll systems already.
People under quarantine restrictions are entitled to assistance.
