Progressive solons slam P1,000 aid amid ECQ in NCR Plus

Progressive lawmakers on Wednesday criticized the P1,000 worth of assistance that will be given to low-income individuals who are affected by the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. 

In a virtual press conference, Representatives France Castro, Eufemia Cullamat and Arlene Brosas said the amount is not enough for an individual to survive in at least a week. 

Castro said the amount is too small to provide for the needs of poor families in this one-week ECQ. 

"P1,000 kada indibidwal daw sa 22.9 na million na populasyon ng NCR Plus bubble. Saan makakarating ang P1,000 na ito at maximum daw na P4,000 kada pamilya? Parang napakaliit nito kaugnay doon sa kahilingan ng manggagawa... 
Mumo ang ibinigay samantalang palala nang palala ang COVID-19," Castro said.

[P1,000 each will be given to more or less 22.9 million low-income individuals in the NCR Plus. How long can P1,000 last? A maximum of P4,000 will be given per family but this is not enough. It seems that it is too small for the workers, especially now that the COVID-19 pandemic is worsening.]

Cullamat, for her part, said Filipinos would die not of COVID-19 but of hunger because of lack of help from the national government. 

"Mamamatay sila sa gutom dahil wala ngang tunay na ayuda. Ang bilyon-bilyong inutang ay di mapupunta sa taong-bayan," Cullamat said. 

[Filipinos will die of hunger because there is no assistance from the government. The billions of loans did not benefit citizens.]

Brosas also shared the sentiments of her two colleagues, saying the amount is too little for a one-week lockdown. 

"Sinasabi na walang ayuda kasi saan nga naman aabot ang P1,000? Kahit sino sigurong tao kapag sinabing P1,000 lang tapos malalockdown ka ng matagal eh hindi naman talaga 'yun makakasapat. Grabe talaga 'yung dinaras ng mamamayan... alam naman natin maraming nawalan ng trabaho," Brosas said. 

[They are saying that there is no aid because how long can a P1,000 last? An individual who will be affected by a lockdown will really say that the amount is not enough. Filipinos have been suffering, we know a lot of citizens lost their jobs amid the pandemic.]

Brosas reiterated her call to the House of Representatives to hasten the passage of the measure that will provide P10,000 cash aid to affected families. 

Budget Secretary Wendell Avisado has said a total of 22.9 million low-income individuals will receive P1,000 in kind under the latest special amelioration program.

He said the Department of Budget and Management would release P22.9 billion to the local government units in the NCR and the provinces of Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal and Cavite—collectively called NCR Plus—for distribution of the goods.

According to President Rodrigo Duterte, LGUs should adopt the list of Bayanihan 1 beneficiaries to ensure that the assistance would reach the intended recipients. —KG, GMA News