MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government assured the public that the distribution of the P22.9 billion in aid or ayuda in the so-called NCR+ bubble is slated to continue despite the shift to the more relaxed modified enhanced community quarantine.
Some 22.9 million poor Filipinos making up 80% of the National Economic and Development Authority's estimated low-income population within the bubble are set to receive aid from the government.
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Each resident will be receiving P1,000 in kind or cash, an amount progressive groups have said is grossly insufficient.
“It’s not true that the Ayuda for NCR Plus will stop because we have shifted to MECQ. That is fake news,” Interior spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said in a statement Thursday. "Though more people are now back to work, the Ayuda is a commitment of government and will continue to be distributed despite the change in quarantine classification."
The DILG undersecretary added that the distribution is "going smoothly across the NCR Plus area" and that a total of P1.757 billion in funds have so far been distributed as of yesterday to some 1.7-million beneficiaries within the so-called NCR+ bubble.
“We understand the challenges in the distribution of this financial aid considering the need to reach the farthest sitios and barangays. Still, we are calling on our city/municipal mayors and punong barangays to exhaust all means to ensure that the target beneficiaries will receive the ayuda the earliest possible time,” he said.
“Our local chief executives know what bottlenecks and measures need to be taken to expedite the provision of assistance to citizens in need,” he added in Filipino.
He also said that the safeguards are already in place to ensure that graft and corruption is prevented in the distribution of the Ayuda this year such as the posting of the beneficiaries list in the social media pages of the LGU concerned and the creation of a Grievance and Appeals Committee per LGU.
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“We have organized a Joint Monitoring and Inspection Team per LGU headed by the DILG field officers, DSWD representative, Chief of Police, Provincial/City Prosecutor and a CSO representative. The JMIT has been tasked to monitor the distribution on a daily basis,” he said.
According to Malaya, out of P1.7 billion ayuda funds distributed to beneficiaries:
- P1.574-billion (14.10%) are in the National Capital Region
- P24.015-million (0.81%) are in Bulacan
- P34.565-million (1%) are in Cavite
- P28.564-million (1.05%) are in Laguna,
- and P95.197-million (3.64%) are in Rizal.
In the National Capital Region, the cities of Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Navotas and Manila top the list of LGUS in NCR Plus which have distributed the most assistance to their constituents.
To date, Mandaluyong City has distributed P119.068-million (32.66%), Quezon City has disbursed P590.01-million (23.77%), Navotas gave out P46.932-million (23.48%) and Manila distributed P351.088-million (23.05%).
“If we need to increase the number of distribution centers and staff, it is better for us to distribute aid faster,” Malaya said in Filipino.
“It is also important to be disciplined in obtaining and using it. I appeal to the people, it is not online cockfighting, or swimming, use it for the essential needs of your family."