Malacañang is not about to identify the Metro Manila mayor or city that has been stripped of the power to distribute cash aid to its poor residents due to the supposedly poor organizational skills of the local government unit.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque however dropped hints about the place, citing recent photographs that showed people wading through floods to get vaccinated as well as the overcrowding in some vaccination hubs.
President Duterte earlier directed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to take charge of the aid distribution in a city in Metro Manila after criticizing its mayor for having a "disorganized mind." Duterte claimed the concerned LGU has failed to ensure an orderly distribution with the official supposedly blaming others than himself.
"I am not able to confirm it. If the President did not name him so be it pero sa tingin ko (But I think) pictures cannot lie," Roque said during a televised press briefing Tuesday, August 10 when asked to identify the lgu the President was referring.
"Ang reklamo ni Presidente hindi niya mapatupad ang mabuting pagbabakuna. Dalawang larawan kasi 'yan -- 'Yung papila sa baha, sa ulan, ng matinding ulan ng mga kababayan natin at pangalawa nga po 'yung pagkakagulo sa bakunahan nakita rin natin sa mga larawang 'yan so pictures don't lie (The President's complaint was he was unable to implement an orderly vaccination. There are two pictures -- one people lining up under the heavy rains and floods and the other the chaos in the vaccination sites. We've seen the photos so pictures don't lie)," he said.
Given the recent incidents of disorder in the vaccination hubs, Roque explained that the President wanted to make sure the financial aid will go to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) beneficiaries promptly.
"At naisip naman ni Presidente na kung ganito rin ang mangyayari pagdating sa distribution ng ayuda, baka lalo pa dumami ang COVID cases sa lugar na yun so hinahayaan ang DILG at ang DSWD together with the PNP (Philippine National Police) and AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) to do it (The President thought that if this will happen in the aid distribution, there might be an increase in COVID cases in that place so he would let the DILG, DSWD together with the PNP and AFP to do it)," he said.
Roque however insisted that the President must have his reason in refusing to name the concerned official or the place during his televised address. As the spokesman, Roque claimed he could not add anything to the President's remarks.
"I don't know if the President is alluding to Manila," he said.
"I'm only the spokesperson. If the principal did not want to reveal kung ang mayor na 'yun at kung anong lgu na 'yan ( which mayor and LGU), so be it. let's leave it at that," he added.