Pateros Mayor Miguel “Ike” Ponce III announced Monday that the unclaimed “ayuda” or financial assistance from the national government will be given to people who filed “grievance,” or appeal.

He said the Pateros municipal government finished distributing the financial assistance last week but there were beneficiaries who did not claim the money.

Based on the guidelines issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), he said, the beneficiaries of the new “ayuda” are those who received the financial assistance before.

“That is why we were not able to add although we knew there were people who are qualified because we were limited to those who received it before,” said Ponce, referring to people who filed an appeal because they were not on the original list or they received less money.

The financial assistance was given by the national government to people in the National Capital Region (NCR), which was placed under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from Aug. 6 to 20.

Pateros, the smallest local government unit in the NCR, received an allotment of P52,419,000, the smallest among Metro Manila LGUs.

As of Aug. 28, the Pateros municipal government has distributed P51,066,000, or 97.42 percent of the total budget, translating to 51,066 individuals who received the “ayuda,” according to a report by the DILG, or a balance of P1,353,000.

Ponce said those who failed to claim the financial assistance were given four chances to get it, either they had duplication of their names, they are no longer residents of Pateros or they claimed excess money before.

The unclaimed money was opened to people who filed appeals. He said because the remaining money cannot suffice to be given to all those who filed the “grievance,” the municipal government has decided to adjust the amount of money that will be distributed so that all can receive.

“We decided to give all those who filed ‘grievance,’ meaning we listened to all of them and we will help all of them,” he said.

But there will be an adjustment in the amount of money to be given to each who filed an appeal. The mayor said those who are qualified to receive the maximum amount of P4,000 will be given P3,000 while those who will get P3,000 will get P2,000. Beneficiaries qualified to receive a maximum of P2,000 or P1,000 will receive the same amount.

Ponce said he thinks this is not a violation of the guidelines in the distribution of the “ayuda” since this is only for those who filed an appeal and were not on the original list of beneficiaries.