Duterte approves 5M more families for cash aid program

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the recommendation of the government’s COVID-19 task force to add five million low-income families to the beneficiaries of the emergency subsidy program, Malacañang said Tuesday.

The additional families will be part of the first tranche of the social amelioration program, according to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

However, the second wave of the financial assistance will only cover poor families living in areas under the enhanced community quarantine due to limited funds, the Palace official said.

Around 18 million low-income families were targeted to receive cash subsidies ranging from P5,000 to P8,000 as mandated by the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

A total of 1,265 LGUs nationwide were able to meet the May 10 deadline set by the government in distributing the first tranche of the emergency cash aid, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said Monday. —AOL, GMA News