Over 12,500 families in the City of Manila received the emergency financial assistance from the national government on the first day of distribution Wednesday (April 7).
Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso said a total of 12,550 families received the cash aid as of 5:30 p.m.
The Manila city government received a total of P1,523,270,000 from the national government. Each family can get up to P4,000.
Around 380,000 families listed under the Department of Social Welfare and Development's Social Amelioration Program are set to receive the cash assistance, Domagoso said.
The Manila mayor warned the beneficiaries to refrain from spending their financial aid on their vices and to use it to buy necessities instead.
Domagoso also sympathized with those who were not included in the list of beneficiaries.
"Masakit sa loob 'yung mapagkaitan ka ng pagkakataon, ng pribilehiyo, masakit talaga, lalo na't kagipitan ngayon, eh (It hurts to be deprived of a chance, a privilege, it really hurts, especially in this time of struggle)," he said in a live broadcast on Facebook on Wednesday night.
He explained that not everyone in the capital city will receive the cash assistance because the list of beneficiaries came from the national government.
The local chief executive vowed that he will continue to implement programs, like the Food Subsidy Program (FSP), that will benefit everyone in the city regardless of socioeconomic status.