PUNCHLINE By FRED M. LOBO Fred M. Lobo President Duterte ordered gov’t agencies to speedily implement measures to address COVID-19 outbreak using the ₱200-billion emergency social protection fund. Prioritize assistance to 18 milion poor families, Duterte said.

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The President threatened to arrest anyone caught stealing from the massive relief assistance fund. “Dont you ever cheat, steal, or hide the food and leave the others without it,” The Punisher warned.

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“The government is now launching the largest and widest social protection program in our country’s history to make up for the loss of economic opportunities due to the quarantine measures in place for COVID-19,” he said in his public address. “We have ₱200 billion given to me by Congress to spend. I will use the money to benefit everyone, those who have no job, who have part-time jobs. The rich will be excluded,” he said.

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He explained that the intended beneficiaries are the “informal sector and those who live day-to-day on subsistence wages or ‘no-work, no-pay’ arrangements.” “Beneficiary households will receive emergency support for two months based on the regional minimum wage,” Duterte assured.

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Malacañang said that under the Bayanihan law, the government is authorized to provide emergency subsidy ranging from ₱5,000 to ₱8,000 to around 18 million low-income households for two months. Republic Act No. 11469, the “Bayanihan To Heal As One Act,” signed by the President last week, also grants the President additional powers to address the coronavirus pandemic.

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But Duterte also appealed to the “those who have more in life” to extend assistance to people in need. Observe sharing and social justice, he appealed.

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The President also vowed to provide assistance to health workers, farmers, fishermen, and small businessmen to cope with the health emergency. Financial assistance or evonomic mitigation for all sectors affected, he said.

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“To our farmers and our fisherfolk: We have not forgotten you and government is now employing quick response measures to help you,” he said “Just ensure availability, and sufficiency of food during the period of the pandemic,” he said.

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He added that the economic team has started to prepare a “recovery package” to help micro, small, and medium enterprises deal with the economic effects of the viral pandemic.

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The DILG has ordered the dismantling of barangay checkpoints in natioanal and provincial roads. Normalize flow of goods, especially food, it said.

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The PNP added it was immediately implenting the order to likewise check abuses by many barangay officials. No to abuses in time of emergencies.