Nograles: Just one financial aid package per household allowed
MANILA, Phlippines — Malacañang on Sunday urged the public not to be greedy to ensure that government aid for sectors affected by the Luzon-wide lockdown would reach all intended beneficiaries.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said each household is entitled to just one social amelioration card even if more than one of its members are qualified to receive assistance.
The card serves as a proof that a household is a beneficiary of the cash aid provided by the national government.
"I saw reports stating that in one house, more than one got social amelioration cards. That's not allowed. Let's be ashamed because there are other people who need help," Nograles told radio station dzBB.
"This government assistance was intended to make sure that each household will have something to eat. Members of each household should share so that more people can receive help. If we are greedy, how about our neighbors who need help?" he added.
The P200-billion relief package seeks to provide emergency assistance to 18 million families.
Under a joint memorandum circular issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, qualified beneficiaries of the relief package are families assessed to be most affected by declaration of the enhanced community quarantine with at least one member belonging to vulnerable or disadvantaged sectors.
Those sectors include senior citizens, persons with disability, pregnant and lactating women, solo parents, indigents, indigenous people, underprivileged sectors and homeless citizens, public transportation, drivers, informal economy workers whether directly hired, occasional worker, or sub-contracted workers, home workers, house helpers, operators of sari-sari store and the like, family enterprise owners, those operating or managing small businesses like retail food production, vending, eateries, fruit, vegetable, and other street vendors, sub-minimum wage earners, and employees affected by 'no work, no pay' policy.
'Well-off citizens should not avail of cash aid'
Nograles also urged well-to-do individuals not to avail of the government assistance.
"You should just let the poor receive the aid. (It can be done on a) voluntary basis. If you are well-off and you can survive the enhanced community quarantine, just sacrifice and allow your needy neighbors to benefit from it," he said.
"If you are an employee and you are from the formal sector, don't avail (of the assistance). You are receiving salaries from your company, why join the program?" he added.
Nograles admitted that the social amelioration cards are limited so those who can afford to buy their necessities should not deprive poor households of assistance.
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