R14.1-B PPE sets, test kits, med equipment; more SAP for 2 M families

President Duterte has reported a R14.1-billion expenditure for the purchase of testing kits, additional personal protective gear and medical equipment.

Capacity to contain the coronavirus outbreak enhanced, he assured.

*** Duterte, in a report to Congress, said that the Department of Health (DOH) bought 6,062,019 personal protective equipment (PPE) sets for R12.1 billion while an additional 65,330 PPE sets have been purchased from previous savings

A total of 1.45 M PPE sets or 23.79 percent have already been delivered, he said.

***

The President also said the government bought nine different types of PCR test kits for R1.6 billion.

Testing kits expected to be delivered next month, he added.

***

He also said 10 units of automated nucleic acid extraction machines have also been procured through the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for R400 million.

More facilities and resources for the health sector and frontliners, he said.

***

Duterte said 98 percent of the intended beneficiaries of the government’s social amelioration program (SAP) first tranche have received cash aid.

Some 17.5 million families have been served by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, amounting to R99.34 billion, he cited.

***

The President said 4.22 million of the beneficiaries were members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), 13.29 million are non-4Ps members, and 62,028 are drivers of transport network vehicle services (TNVS) and public utility vehicles (PUVs) .

Compliance of local government units (LGUs) in the distribution of cash aid to low-income families monitored by the DILG, he said.

***

Meanwhile, LGUs nationwide have submitted to the DILG lists of eligible but wait listed additional household beneficiaries totaling some 1,984,787 families.

Expect the DSWD’s electronic distribution of the subsidy’s second tranche, he added.

***

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno expressed support for bills that will shield banks from collapse and also boost market confidence.

Beneficial pro-recovery measures, please, he urged.

***

“BSP supports the FIST and GUIDE bills. We were actively engaged in their formulation.”

“I also support the CREATE bill or the improved version of CITIRA (Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act),” he added.

***

After the pandemic and lockdown, let’s have measures with “significant financial stability implications,” Diokno said.

Yes to stimulus measures, recovery, and stability.