Feed the hungry and I'll foot the bill, Duterte tells private firms
Published Mar 20, 2020 12:00 am
By Genalyn Kabiling
President Duterte is prepared to reimburse private establishments that provide food to people in need during the Luzon-wide lockdown, according to a Palace official.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) As the government implements a strict stay-at-home policy for most Luzon residents, Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President plans to ask companies to help feed the hungry and gives his "word of honor" to pay them back. "Isa pang direktiba ni Presidente, doon sa mga nagugutom, kung magkaroon man ng mga pagkakataon. He is asking or he will be asking all the establishments, pakainin ninyo ang mga iyan. Ako mismo ang magbabayad. Ilista niyo lang and on my word of honor sabi niya babayaran ko iyan (One of the President's directives is to those who might go hungry, he is asking or he will be asking all the establishments to feed these people. I will be the one to pay. List dow the expense and on my word of honor, I will pay that),", he said in a television Wednesday night. "Hindi pupuwedeng may magutom na kahit na isang mamamayan dito sa ating bansa (Not a single person should go hungry in the country)," he added. Panelo made the pronouncement after the President met with top officials at the Malago clubhouse in Malacañang Park on government efforts to combat the spread of the new coronavirus disease. The President recently placed Luzon under enhanced community quarantine that requires millions of Filipinos to stay indoors to to help stem the spread of the disease. The month-long quarantine includes work-from-home arrangements in most companies, suspension of public transport, travel restrictions, ban on large gatherings, and extension of class suspension. Several lawmakers have raised concerns about the welfare of workers affected by the quarantine, particularly the "no work, no pay" employees. The government has already promised to extend assistance, including food aid to emergency livelihood, to the affected sectors In the meeting, the President admitted that the quarantine in Luzon was actually a “lockdown” to stem the sharp increase of coronavirus infections. "Let me add that at this time I do not think it is just a quarantine or quarantine. I think that we are already in the stage of a lockdown simply because the contagion continues to take its toll in the countryside,” he said.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) As the government implements a strict stay-at-home policy for most Luzon residents, Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President plans to ask companies to help feed the hungry and gives his "word of honor" to pay them back. "Isa pang direktiba ni Presidente, doon sa mga nagugutom, kung magkaroon man ng mga pagkakataon. He is asking or he will be asking all the establishments, pakainin ninyo ang mga iyan. Ako mismo ang magbabayad. Ilista niyo lang and on my word of honor sabi niya babayaran ko iyan (One of the President's directives is to those who might go hungry, he is asking or he will be asking all the establishments to feed these people. I will be the one to pay. List dow the expense and on my word of honor, I will pay that),", he said in a television Wednesday night. "Hindi pupuwedeng may magutom na kahit na isang mamamayan dito sa ating bansa (Not a single person should go hungry in the country)," he added. Panelo made the pronouncement after the President met with top officials at the Malago clubhouse in Malacañang Park on government efforts to combat the spread of the new coronavirus disease. The President recently placed Luzon under enhanced community quarantine that requires millions of Filipinos to stay indoors to to help stem the spread of the disease. The month-long quarantine includes work-from-home arrangements in most companies, suspension of public transport, travel restrictions, ban on large gatherings, and extension of class suspension. Several lawmakers have raised concerns about the welfare of workers affected by the quarantine, particularly the "no work, no pay" employees. The government has already promised to extend assistance, including food aid to emergency livelihood, to the affected sectors In the meeting, the President admitted that the quarantine in Luzon was actually a “lockdown” to stem the sharp increase of coronavirus infections. "Let me add that at this time I do not think it is just a quarantine or quarantine. I think that we are already in the stage of a lockdown simply because the contagion continues to take its toll in the countryside,” he said.