The government is eyeing to allocate P2.7 billion to provide cash aid to people affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Laguna.
At a virtual news briefing on Monday, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque disclosed the proposed amount of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is based on the submitted list of beneficiaries filed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The proposal will be sent to the Office of the President (OP) for approval.
The budget for the cash aid for ECQ-affected individuals in Bataan is still being finalized by the DBM, according to Roque.
Both Laguna and Bataan were placed under ECQ during the weekend amid rising Covid-19 cases in the said provinces.
The lockdown for Laguna will be from August 6 until August 15, 2021, while for Bataan it will be from August 8 until August 22, 2021.
Roque said each qualified beneficiary from the two provinces and other areas under ECQ will get P1,000. Each household in the said areas could only avail of a maximum of four beneficiaries or a maximum of P4,000 financial assistance.
Aside for Laguna and Bataan, other areas that are currently under ECQ where similar financial assistance will be distributed are the National Capital Region (NCR), Iloilo City, and Cagayan de Oro.
In NCR, Roque said the concerned LGUs are expected to start the distribution of the financial assistance by Wednesday.
DILG spokesman Jonathan Malaya said LGUs will be initially given 15 days to distribute the cash aid from the day they get the funds for their respective distribution programs.
“If they are unable to complete it within 15 days, they could request for an extension,” Malaya said.
He said DILG and other government agencies issued a Joint Memorandum Circular containing the guidelines to ensure the distribution will be prompt and not become a super spreader event for Covid-19.