Manila Bulletin
Sotto welcomes gov’t plan to continue aid to families in GCQ areas
Senate President Vicente Sotto III welcomed the government's plan to continue providing emergency subsidies to indigent families in general community quarantine (GCQ) areas.
Sotto had previously expressed confusion and concern over the executive department's decision to halt cash aid for families in GCQ areas, emphasizing that the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act mandates a two-month subsidy for at least 18 million low-income households.
President Duterte has directed Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado to find funds for the continued distribution of subsidies in GCQ areas.
Sotto noted that while the Bayanihan Act allows for the realignment of funds, the law's validity might need to be extended.
Earlier, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque had stated that recipients in GCQ areas would no longer receive the second tranche of the social amelioration program's grants, with aid being reprioritized for enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) areas.
Starting May 16, only Metro Manila, Laguna, and Cebu City will remain under modified ECQ, while the rest of the country will be under GCQ and modified GCQ.
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Low-income families in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) who received the first wave of cash aid will no longer get a second tranche, according to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
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Senator Panfilo Lacson asserts that the Supreme Court must decide whether to withhold the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) from General Community Quarantine (GCQ) areas, as the law's interpretation is critical to determining eligibility for cash aid.
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President Rodrigo Duterte has directed Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado to study budgetary allocations of line agencies to identify funds that can be realigned for a second round of cash aid.
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Qualified families in areas under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) will receive the second tranche of emergency subsidies from the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
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Families in general community quarantine (GCQ) areas will receive aid from the second tranche of the social amelioration program (SAP) once a funding source is identified.
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