Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday stressed the need for the government to ensure that the distribution of social amelioration program (SAP) or cash aid to those who are affected by the reimposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and select provinces would be more systematic and inclusive this time around.
“The financial assistance, although not enough, can help temporarily ease hunger pangs amid many households' already decimated incomes,” Poe said in a statement.
“Our people expect the government to mend earlier challenges encountered to make the social amelioration distribution faster, more systematic and inclusive this time,” she stressed.
Poe made the remark as the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) disclosed that Metro Manila mayors have agreed to start the distribution of cash aid on Wednesday, Aug. 11 amid the lockdown in the region due to the rising cases of the Delta COVID-19 Delta variant.
However, President Duterte had called out a “certain mayor” and warned he would not give this local chief executive the power to distribute “ayuda” or cash aid for being inefficient in aid distribution.
Poe reminded that cash aid “must reach all beneficiaries in the most efficient manner to help them see through the lockdown period.”
“With the ECQ depriving many of livelihood and jobs, it is imperative to throw a lifeline to affected families to keep them out of hunger while they help fight the virus by staying home,” the senator said.
“Facing our people as they deal with joblessness are the price hikes of necessities and increase in electricity rates,” she pointed out.