President Duterte got the full backing of the head of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) in stripping a Metro Manila mayor with the power to distribute cash assistance (ayuda).
LPP national president and Marinduque Governor Presbitero Velasco Jr said that as the Chief Executive, Duterte has the prerogative to deny any local chief executive especially that the fund comes from the national government.
“That is the prerogative of the president if he does not want certain LGUs to handle the distribution of the ayuda of the national government,” said Velasco who is the father of House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco.
In a briefing on August 9, Duterte ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to take over the ayuda distribution task of an unnamed LGU for its alleged disorganized process.
Although he would not name it, netizens said the President is referring to Manila Mayor Isko Moreno who is showing a good standing on the presidential race based on the recent survey results.
In return, Moreno posted awards given by the DSWD and the DILG to the City government of Manila for proper handling of the cash assistance distribution in the past.
“He only wants people's money to be spent the right way,” Velasco said.
Although the President already said it on a national television, the DILG said it is yet to receive a formal order from Malacanang.
DILG Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said that the DILG is prepared for any eventuality when pressed to comment on the President’s order.
The National Capital Region (NCR) was placed under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from August 6 to 20 to slow down the transmission of the far more dangerous coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19 Delta variant.
Each low income individual in Metro Manila is entitled to a P1,000 ayuda with every qualified household receiving a maximum of P4,000.
On August 9, the Department of Health (DOH) also revealed the possibility of extending the ECQ in metro Manila due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country. (Chito A. Chavez)