Senator seeks faster SAP distribution

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bong Go yesterday urged local government units (LGUs) to fast-track the distribution of aid under the social amelioration program to low-income families affected by the extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

“We must speed up the provision of ayuda, especially that the ECQ has been extended. The aid must be released to the recipients, in cash or in kind,” Go said. “I think LGUs opted to give the assistance in cash for faster distribution.”

A total of 22.9 million low-income Filipinos or 80 percent of the population residing in the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal will receive assistance worth P1,000 each.

LGUs have been given the authority to decide if the aid will be given in cash or in kind.

Beneficiaries are entitled to receive P1,000 per person but not exceeding P4,000 per family.

Go has appealed to President Duterte, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado to initiate another round of cash aid to help those affected by the pandemic.

Duterte approved the supplemental amelioration program on March 29. A total of P23 billion was sourced from the Bureau of Treasury’s certified sources under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.

Go also asked the Departments of Social Welfare and Development and the Interior and Local Government to coordinate the aid distribution with the affected LGUs.

He said there should be no delays in the distribution of funds to LGUs.

“President Duterte is confident that the financial assistance will reach the poor,” Go said. “There should be no discrimination, no politics.”

Aid distribution starts today

The national government will begin today the distribution of financial assistance for low-income households affected by the ECQ, the DILG said yesterday.

DILG spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said nearly P22.9 million was released to LGUs in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.

He said almost 90 percent of the LGUs have received the cash aid.

The DILG will start the aid distribution in Parañaque in the morning and Caloocan in the afternoon, with other LGUs to follow in the coming days.

“Even in the provinces the schedules have been drawn up,” Malaya said in Filipino.

Phl virology institute pushed

Meanwhile, Go expressed his support for the establishment of a virology institute, which will enable the country to develop and manufacture vaccines against infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

“This will help in the country’s fight against future pandemics,” Go said.

Lamenting the hardships government authorities need to go through to procure vaccines from the global market, Go hopes the proposed institute will allow the Philippines to develop its own vaccines.

The senator envisions the proposed institute to create strategic partnerships with other leading virology centers, institutes and scientists and conduct innovative research that will advance the country’s progress in the field of virology.

The government has allocated P50 million in the 2021 General Appropriations Act for the engineering design of the virology institute to be built in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

Measures have been introduced in Congress to institutionalize the proposed virology research. – Emmanuel Tupas