Cash in isolation: San Juan offers P3,000 to COVID-19 patients who stay in quarantine hub

MANILA — San Juan residents who test positive for the novel coronavirus and agree to be admitted to the city's quarantine facility will get P3,000 from the local government, Mayor Francis Zamora said Wednesday.

Patients at the facility will also get free meals, medicine, and internet access, he said. 

San Juan City to offer P3,000 cash and other incentives to residents positive w/ #COVID19 who will comply to be admitted in city's quarantine facilities.

"The best we can do is encourage, bibigyan ng P3,000, libre pagkain, libre gamot, libre internet" | 📷Mayor Francis Zamora pic.twitter.com/S08MH5yrIy

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) July 15, 2020

"Hindi dapat itago na positibo [sa COVID-19] kasi nagiging katumbas n'yan kakalat lalo ang virus. Sa San Juan, di po kayo pababayaaan, wala ho kayong babayaran... May P3,000 pa para sa inyong pamilya," said Zamora. 

(Positive COVID-19 cases should not be concealed because that will lead to the further spread of the virus. You won't be neglected in San Juan, you won't pay anything. Your family will even get P3,000.) 

San Juan facilities are open to residents of other areas, he said. 

The city as of Monday has confirmed 438 cases of the COVID-19 disease. The tally includes 117 active cases, 276 patients that had recovered and 45 deaths, according to the health department's website. 

The government on Wednesday said it could isolate coronavirus patients with mild or no symptoms, even if they prefer to go on home quarantine.

- With a report from Angel Movido, ABS-CBN News