Malacañang said Monday residents affected by the weeklong enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) living in the “NCR Plus” bubble would get aid from the government.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque told Unang Balita said that the government already determined the fund resources that would be used to provide assistance.
“Meron na pong nauisapinal kung saan kukunin ‘yung pera, wala nang problema, meron na tayong source ng pera [the source of funds has already been finalized, we already have a source of the funds],” he said.
The details of the assistance program would be announced this afternoon.
Roque also noted that there would be only three working days this week since Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are non-working holidays.
The “NCR Plus” bubble includes Metro Manila, Laguna, Bulacan, Cavite and Rizal. These areas would be under ECQ from March 29 to April 4 amid the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases.
Roque blamed the spike of cases on new COVID-19 variants that are said to be more contagious.
Also read: NCR Plus bubble unlikely to reduce virus reproduction to 1 – OCTA Research
Residents in ‘NCR Plus’ bubble to get aid from gov’t: Roque
“Mabuti na lang po God is good at hindi mas nakamamatay ang mga variant na ito, pero ang hindi maitatanggi mas nakakahawa po. Hindi lang Pilipinas ang nag-iisa, sa buong mundo po talagang dumami ang kaso,” he said.
(Thank God the new variants aren’t deadlier but only more transmissible. The Philippines is not the only one, other countries are experiencing a surge in cases as well.)
Meanwhile, Roque did not give a definite answer when asked if the ECQ would be extended after April 4, noting that the government is trying its best to balance the public’s safety and boosting the economy.
“Alam natin na napakadami ngang nagkakasakit… pero tinitimbang po natin ‘yan sa milyun-milyong karagdagang Pilipinong nagugutom kapag papatagalin natin ang ECQ, so binabalanse po nating mabuti,” he said.
(We know that many people are getting sick, but we’re also taking into consideration the fact that millions of Filipinos will go hungry if ECQ will be prolonged, so we’re trying to balance it carefully.)