The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has allowed local government units (LGUs) which failed to meet the May 25 cash aid distribution deadline for the National Capital Region (NCR)- plus beneficiaries to continue with its disbursement.
But DILG Secretary Eduardo Año stressed that non-complying LGUs will be asked to explain.
While the original monetary aid distribution in the NCR- plus deadline was originally set on May 15, Año explained that an additional 10 days extension was granted to the LGUs with unclaimed funds to enable them to prepare a new payroll and distribute the remaining amount to the other affected individuals in their respective communities.
The DILG also bared that the distribution of the “ayuda (cash assistance)’’ is substantially complete at 99.6 percent distribution rate which translates to the disbursement of P22.8-billion aid to the 22,838,875 “NCR- plus beneficiaries.’’
In a statement, the DILG noted that 93 out of the 108 NCR- plus cities and municipalities completed the ayuda distribution by May 25, 2021.
With close to 100 percent cash aid distribution rate, Año commended the NCR- plus LGUs, mayors, barangay officials, social workers and DILG field officers for a job well done.
The DILG chief revealed that NCR tallied the highest completion rate of ayuda distribution among in the NCR- plus with 99.95 percent corresponding to P11.1-billion worth of financial assistance with 15 LGUs reaching 100 percent completion rate namely Manila, Caloocan City, Makati, Malabon City, Mandaluyong City, Marikina City, Muntinlupa City, Parañaque City, Pasay City, Pasig City, Pateros, Quezon City, San Juan City, Taguig City and Valenzuela City.
He added that Bulacan followed with 99.93 percent amounting to P2.9-billion, Laguna with 99.74 percent worth P2.7-billion, Rizal with 99.68 percent equivalent to P2.6-billion; and Cavite with 98.45 percent amounting to P3.3-billion.
Año disclosed that some LGUs have returned unclaimed funds after failing to trace the beneficiaries despite their efforts as many of them went to the provinces.