The lending of assistance to the most affected people of the COVID-19 crisis will now be intensified as the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved the social amelioration measures of the government.
The measures include guidelines on the lending of cash and food assistance to the public, especially the less privileged ones.
“The Provision of Social Amelioration Measures is hereby approved by the IATF. Government agencies and LGUs are directed to submit their existing beneficiary databases to the DSWD, copy furnishing the DOF. The DSWD is further directed to host the database for the COVID-19 social amelioration program of the government,” IATF Spokesperson Karlo Nograles read.
Also included in the new bulletin of the IATF is the creation of a new Technical Working Group (TWG) to focus and give recommendations regarding the economic effects of COVID-19.
Nograles said there are new IATF directives to local officials on additional quarantine sites.
“Subject to guidelines to be issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Local Government Units (LGUs) in the provincial, city, municipal, and barangay levels, as well as those in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, are hereby directed to identify government facilities that may be temporarily converted into isolation or quarantine facilities. The same directive shall apply to Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations,” Nograles continued.
Nograles added the task force will continue to form new guidelines to address changes in the ongoing situation, and requested anew the cooperation of the public. – Report from Mela Lesmoras
