Overcrowding, protocol breach mar Manila cash aid distribution

MANILA – A large crowd flocked to Delpan Sports Complex in Tondo, Manila on Monday morning, disregarding physical distancing to collect the city government’s monthly pension.

Senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and solo parents are entitled to receive PHP500 monthly cash allowance under City Ordinance No. 8565.

Each beneficiary received PHP1,500 for July to September.

Officials of Barangay 20 failed to impose health and safety standards against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, as shown in photos provided by the Manila Police District and posted on social media.

Netizens assailed the personal distribution, saying Manila could have done better through digital means or house-to-house distribution considering that beneficiaries belong to the vulnerable sector.

“Why do these senior citizens have to go and collect it in person? Can’t the government just send the money to their bank accounts or cash cards? Senior citizens shouldn’t even be outside in this pandemic,” MJ Erenia posted on a news outlet’s Facebook account.

Michelle Falcon said “this can be easily solved by distributing the money thru bank accounts/atm (automated teller machine). Isn’t Makati already doing that? Sheesh.”

Maui Gallardo, meanwhile, commented that “incompetent” Manila officials should “work wisely, not hard” and employ online payment.

Another netizen, Jun Lim, was concerned about a possible surge in Covid-19 cases and how the neighboring Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center “will take the brunt of new Covid cases just because organizers cannot enforce some sense of discipline”.

Of Manila’s 1,169 active Covid-19 cases as of Saturday, 252 are from Tondo 1 and 2. The district also accounts for most of the 1,559 coronavirus-related deaths in the city at 585.

MPD chief Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco assured the situation was immediately resolved.

“May mga nagpunta lang po kaninang 9 a.m. na wala sa list at mga naki-usyoso po kahit hindi pa registered sa OSCA (At around 9 am, there were some curious individuals who were not included in the list by the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs but still went to the area),” Francisco said in a statement.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government–National Capital Region also issued a statement that as per the report of Manila Director Rolynne Javier, the problem was addressed.

As of posting time, other officials of the city government sought for comment have yet to respond and cannot give an explanation on why the previous system of distributing cash aid through digital means was stopped. (PNA/With reports from Lloyd Caliwan)