The local government of Navotas City is targeting to start on Wednesday the distribution of cash assistance given by the national government to residents affected by the reimposition of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) following the surge in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country.
Mayor Toby Tiangco said they already received on Monday night from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) the P199,480 worth of financial aid that will be distributed to the residents in cash.
"Maliwanag po doon sa guidelines (It's clear in the guidelines that)… P1,000 per individual but not over P4,000 per family," he said in a Teleradyo interview Tuesday.
"Kailangan madalian ito 'no. Kasi kung bibili pa kami, mag-rerepack pa kami, matagal pa 'yung proseso (We need to expedite the process of giving assistance. We can no longer buy food items and pack them because they take longer)," he added, explaining why they chose to distribute the assistance by cash, "Number two, hindi lang din naman kasi yung pagkain kailangan ng ating mga kababayan. Iba iba yung pangangailangan nila (And it's not only food that people need now. They have different needs)."
Aside from cash, Tiangco said, residents will also receive food packs that will come from the local government.
He added that the Department of Social Welfare and Development has also given the city, through the office of Navotas Rep. John Rey Tiangco, a few food packs to be given to poor households.