PRRD orders DBM to source fund for ECQ ayuda in NCR

President Duterte has ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to find a source for the cash aid or ayuda for residents who will be affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) that will be imposed in Metro Manila effective August 6, 2021, Malacañang said.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the ball is now in the court of the DBM.

“PRRD directed DBM to source funds,” he said Friday, July 30.

Roque, in a later interview with Super Radyo DZBB, said Metro Manila residents can expect the same amount of cash aid given to them when the region shifted to ECQ early this year. Last time, residents affected by the strict lockdown received ₱1,000 or a maximum of ₱4,000 per family.

"I'm just waiting for confirmation but I already talked to DBM Secretary Wendel Avisado," he said.

"He told me that we will really look for a source for the cash aid because the President will not agree to an ECQ without cash aid for the residents," he added.

Roque said the government does not have enough funds for further “ayuda” but said it will look for ways to fund another round of the amelioration program if declaring ECQ was inevitable.

Roque has assured residents of Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, Cagayan de Oro City, and Gingoog City that they will be given cash aid worth P1,000 or up to P4,000 per family while they are under ECQ.

₱210 B in losses seen Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said that Metro Manila’s shift back to ECQ from August 6 to 20 would result in roughly ₱210 billion in losses to the local economy.

Chua said the strictest quarantine status would also raise poverty and intend employers to layoff employees.

“Each week of ECQ in NCR will cost economy ₱105 billion, also increase poor people by up to 177,000 and 444,000 more without jobs,” Chua told reporters, citing the latest estimates by NEDA.

Chua admitted that economic losses are significant during a period of hard lockdown, but could be partially reversed, “if we use the three-weeks to accelerate vaccination of everyone in the high risk areas.”

“This way, the ECQ will be an investment to pave the way for a recovery once we control Delta spread,” Chua explained.

Moreover, the NEDA chief said that distribution of cash assistance to certain individuals or households in places under ECQ will help in mitigating the losses.

As of July 29, the country has recorded 216 cases of the more contagious Delta variant. So far, the Philippines, as of July 30, has reported 1,580,824 COVID19 cases with 1,491,182 recoveries and 27,722 deaths.