320,477 families in Manila get aid

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila city government has distributed ayuda to 84 percent of the targeted beneficiaries of the enhanced community quarantine cash aid.

As of Saturday, at least 320,477 families have received P4,000 as part of the national government’s financial assistance to residents affected by the month-long lockdown, according to the local department of social welfare.

Meanwhile, Mayor Isko Moreno visited the construction of the COVID-19 field hospital in Rizal Park on Saturday night.

Moreno said the field hospital would augment the bed capacity of district hospitals in the city.

The mobile hospital, constructed out of shipping containers, will house mild and moderate cases of COVID-19.

The field hospital worth P154 million will be finished in two months, Moreno added.

He said 353 of the 870 beds in the city’s quarantine facilities were occupied as of Saturday.

Moreno said 329 of the 523 COVID-19 beds in the city’s district hospitals are full.

Meanwhile, more than 30,000 Pasig residents have been inoculated with COVID-19 vaccine, according to Mayor Vico Sotto.

“Yesterday, we reached the 30,000-mark for first dose vaccinations. For senior citizens, around 14 percent have received their first dose,” Sotto said in a statement.

He said the local government would run out of vaccines provided by the national government.

“We will run out of on-hand vaccines within two weeks, that’s why we will not be opening new inoculation sites for now,” Sotto said.

Pasig has opened four more vaccination centers to cater to senior citizens and residents with comorbidities.

In January, the local government ordered 400,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca.

Pasig has allotted P300 million for the vaccine procurement.