Homeless Filipinos rest on makeshift beds in a Catholic school's gymnasium which turned into a shelter for the homeless following the enforcement of a community quarantine in the Philippine main island to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Manila, Philippines, March 31, 2020. Eloisa Lopez, Reuters
MANILA (UPDATE) - The Department of Social Welfare and Development on Friday will start distributing cash aid to poor Filipino families in the cities of Manila, and Parañaque to help them rebuild their lives from the coronavirus pandemic, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said.
Families in the 2 Metro Manila cities who are entitled to the subsidies will be approached by government representatives, Nograles said. Cash aid distribution in other parts of the country will follow in the coming days, he said.
"We have been informed by the DSWD that the subsidies will be distributed starting today in Manila and Parañaque, and we expect other jurisdictions to be distributing these to their residents in the next few days," Nograles said in a virtual press briefing.
The initial cash grant will be distributed on Friday afternoon in Tondo, Manila, and Vitalez-District 1 in Parañaque.
The subsidies, ranging from P5,000 to P8,000, will be distributed in cash as part of the government's P200-billion social amelioration program.
Cash aid for the beneficiaries of the government's Pantawid ng Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) will also be distributed starting Friday, Nograles said.
The Cabinet official urged the beneficiaries to wait for the announcements of their local government units on the distribution of the cash assistance.
"Sa mga benepisyaryo ng 4Ps, ngayong araw din po sisimulang ipasok sa inyong mga card ang benepisyong ito. Uulitin ko ang paalala, maghintay ng anunsyo upang hindi tayo magkumpulan sa mga bangko," he said.
(For the 4Ps beneficiaries, you will receive in your cards the cash aid today. Wait for the announcement to avoid crowding in banks.)
COVID-19, coronavirus, social amelioration program, 4Ps, poor families, Philippines, DSWD, government aid, tulong gobyerno Pilipinas