City gives cash aid to 80 barangays

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City government will provide financial assistance to its 80 barangays that are now under a state of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to intensify measures aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Cebu City’s ECQ started noontime yesterday and would run for a month “or unless sooner lifted or withdrawn.”

The amount of the financial assistance will depend on the barangay’s population.

City Accounting Officer Jerome Ornopia said the first 10 barangays with the highest population will receive P3 million; the next 10 barangays will receive P2 million; and the remaining barangays will receive P1 million.

Barangays Guadalupe, Tisa, Basak San Nicolas, Mambaling, and Lahug are among the first 10 barangays with the highest population.

Based on the city government’s guidelines, 80 percent of the financial aid must be allocated for food, while 20 percent must be allocated for personal protective equipment and other supplies.

Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia said barangays should spend according to the budget guidelines.

The city government is targeting to make the checks available early.

Garcia said there is no politicizing in the distribution of the aid and everybody will receive the financial aid, provided that they follow the guidelines.

The financial aid will come from the 2020 Annual Budget under the aid to the barangays amounting to P250 million. GAN (FREEMAN)