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Lacson: Only SC can rule if families in GCQ areas still get subsidy for May


Only the Supreme Court can determine whether low-income families living in areas already under general community quarantine (GCQ) should still receive the second tranche of the emergency cash subsidy under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Sunday.

Lacson made the remark after the government announced that only those who are still under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) will still get the P5,000 to P8,000 cash subsidy for the month of May, even as the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act stated that the assistance would be given to around 18 million low-income families for two months.

According to Lacson, the intention of the said provision in the law was to give assistance to those who lost their jobs and income as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

"Pero kung talagang nakakapagtrabaho na, pwede rin naman siguro, depende sa interpretasyon ng batas," he said.

"Ang Supreme Court lang naman ang pwedeng mag-interpret niyan kung tama ba o hindi na itigil na ang ayuda doon sa mga lugar na nagtratrabaho na yung mga tao," he added.

The government recently announced the easing up of restrictions in several areas with only a modified ECQ (MECQ) currently being implemented in National Capital Region, Laguna, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Zambales starting May 16 until May 31.

Cebu City and Mandaue City, meanwhile, are placed under ECQ until the end of the month, and the rest of the country are under GCQ.

While low-income families in GCQ areas will no longer receive the second tranche of the cash subsidy, Malacañang said those in MECQ are still eligible

Meanwhile, an additional 5 million families who were not given assistance during the first round will receive cash subsidy in May, on top of the 18 million who were already included on the list.

Lacson said a supplemental budget may be approved for the purpose of granting cash subsidies to the additional 5 million families.

"Pwedeng supplemental budget nga yun kasi ang covered ng Bayanihan Act ay P18 plus million families So kung madadagdag ng 5 million families, tama yun, hihingi talaga sila ng panibagong authority by way of a supplemental budget kasi hindi hagip ng Bayanihan Act yung 5 million families," he said.

"So kung yun ang intention, tama lang na humingi sila ng supplemental budget sa Kongreso," he added.

According to Lacson, at most P281 billion are still available from the 2019 budget as of April 30 where the funding for the cash subsidy for the additional 5 million families could come from.

Authorities, however, should give a clear explanation to Congress on how these funds are distributed to families, considering reports from the ground that these cash subsidies do not actually reach the intended beneficiaries, the senator added.

"Tinanong din namin sa DBM yan, ang sabi nila, ang mas magandang makasagot doon ay yung mga ahensya na nag-distribute ng pondo. Tama yun kasi ang DBM, taga-distribute sila ng pondo," Lacson said.

"Ang dapat pagpaliwanagin doon, paano dinistribute yung pondo. I'm sure sa mga kasamahan ko rin, merong mga issues na dumating sa kanila na gusto rin nilang liwanagin tungkol sa pag-distribute ng amelioration funds," he added. —Erwin Colcol/LBG, GMA News

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