MANILA - Local chief executives in the capital region have agreed to distribute the third round of pandemic assistance as cash, Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said Tuesday.

"Kahapon ay nagkaroon ng pag-uusap ang Metro Manila mayors na unified na tayo. Iisa na lang ang uri ng pagbibigay nito. Napagkasunduan na cash assistance," he told Teleradyo.

(Yesterday, Metro Manila mayors were unified in the meeting. It will be given in one mode. We decided it will be cash assistance.)

The capital region, home to 13 million people, will be under enhanced community quarantine from Aug. 6 to 20 to arrest the spread of the virulent COVID-19 Delta variant.

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Teodoro called on the national government to let localities finalize the list of beneficiaries, as many more would be needing assistance.

"Ang ikinababahala ko 'yung mga nadagdag. Maraming mas naging mahirap ngayon dahil sa paulit-ulit at mahabang ECQ na nangyayari," he said.

(What I'm worried about is the additional beneficiaries. Many more would need help because of the recurring and longer ECQ.)

The national government, he said, should also allow them to use the old list of beneficiaries, which has been subjected to grievances and amendments.

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In April, the Philippine government distributed P1,000 cash aid to low-income families in Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal when it imposed hard lockdown.

Early in the pandemic, the government also provided financial assistance to 18 million families last year through Social Amelioration Program, which is mandated by Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act.

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