By Patrick de Jesus
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) assured the public that barangays are prepared to distribute aid to affected residents in the NCR Plus (National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal) area during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period.
On Monday, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte approved the ₱22 billion Supplemental Amelioration Program (SAP) for 22.9 million low-income beneficiaries in the NCR Plus bubble.
Under the program, in-kind assistance amounting to ₱1,000 will be given to each qualified individual, but not more than ₱4,000 per family.
“May tauhan kami para diyan, mayroon kaming mga purok leader, mayroon kaming district leader, para tugunan ang barangay sa tamang distribusyon,” DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño said at the Laging Handa public briefing aired over PTV today.
[We have people to do that, we have zone and district leaders, to help the barangay implement the correct distribution.]
Diño added that local government unit and barangay officials have enough experience and knowledge on aid distribution, gained during the previous year’s distribution of assistance in their respective localities.
The DILG official also believes that house-to-house is the best mode of distribution to control the movement of people amid the ECQ, which the government has imposed over NCR Plus in an effort to minimize the surge of COVID-19 infections there.
Meanwhile, Diño disclosed that 89 barangay officials were suspended for being involved in an anomaly during the distribution of the social amelioration program last year.
He gave a warning to those officials who might try to take advantage again.
“In the event na mayroon na naman, hindi tayo titigil ng pag-file ng reklamo laban dito sa mga barangay official na magsasamantala na naman dito sa ayuda na ito. Mahiya naman kayo, pagkain lang ‘to. Biro niyo, ito pa ang dahilan para matanggal kayo sa pwesto niyo o kaya masuspinde kayo?” Diño said.
[In the event that there are such incidents again, we will not cease filing complaints against barangay officials who will take advantage of these aid resources. Why don’t you be ashamed of yourselves, this is just food. Shall this be the reason you are removed from your position or are suspended?]
