Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on Monday night said he has yet to receive official word on President Rodrigo Duterte's order to take away from a certain local government unit in Metro Manila the role of distributing cash aid to households impacted by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
"Wala pa naman," Moreno said in a text message to GMA News Online when asked if Manila is among the LGUs being stripped of authority in distributing cash assistance.
In his weekly public address, Duterte directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development to take over the distribution of the financial assistance in LGUs whose officials are unable to distribute it in an orderly manner.
Duterte cited LGUs "[without] planning and preparation to prevent overcrowding and disorder during distribution," and said these include one local government in the National Capital Region, but which he did not name.
Last month, Duterte railed against local government units who make people wait in lines and in flooded areas to get vaccinated .
"Cold people are exposed in the open, unprotected from the elements then they are waiting to get a chance to have the shot, mga 3 to 4 hours magtindig diyan. Sa bagay, baha ngayon diyan (they stand in line for 3 to 4 hours, and the areas are flooded)," he said.
Mayors and barangay captains should look for dry and bigger venues to conduct vaccination, and properly organize the schedule for inoculation, he had added.
"Para bang to me, it's bullsh*t kapag ganun ang ginagawa mo sa Filipino if you can't do it in a place where there's roof and cover their heads na hindi sila mabasa. Not exposed to elements. Umagang-umaga, [nakita ko], naku Dios ko po, bakit naman ganun," the president said in a July 25 Malacanang briefing.
Despite the foul weather last month, people still lined up in various inoculation sites in Metro Manila, including Manila and Mandaluyong, to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Moreno had said he is proud of Manila residents who lined up for their COVID-19 vaccination despite the inclement weather.
"Well, that's a good observation but I'm grateful. I'm proud of mga batang Maynila bagama't nagbabaha talaga ay talagang 'yong kagustuhan nilang maproteksiyunan," he added.
The DILG said the release of cash assistance to low-income households in NCR affected by the enhanced community quarantine will begin on Wednesday, August 11.
Around 11 million NCR residents will benefit from the cash assistance, DILG spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said.
The cash aid will be P1,000 per individual or up to P4,000 maximum per household.
Metro Manila was placed under ECQ from August 6 to 20 in a bid to curb the transmission of the Delta coronavirus variant in the country.—LDF, GMA News
This article Isko: No word yet if Manila stripped of cash aid role was originally published in GMA News Online.
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