Angara backs barangay-based quarantine instead of extended ECQ

Angara, a COVID-19 survivor, said he hopes that the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID) would consider a barangay-based quarantine instead of enforcing the ECQ which is set to end on Thursday next week.

But he said it is important for the government to ensure there would be an extensive information campaign regarding a barangay-based quarantine in order to avoid public confusion.

“It’s important that the people know the do’s and don’ts about this,” Angara said in an interview over DZRH. “I think before they impose it, the DILG should conduct a massive information campaign first before doing it.”

Apart from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Angara said the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), Department of Health (DOH), and other government agencies should utilize their budget for this information campaign.

Under a barangay-based quarantine, village officials would be tasked to strictly implement quarantine procedures and more importantly, social distancing.

“Tapos very strict implementation on the ground. Kasi, kumbaga ang mga sundalo mo rito yung mga barangay officials, mga tanod (The implementation on the ground must be very strict. Because your soldiers here would be the barangay officials),” Angara said.

Angara warned that having a long-term ECQ would pose a huge problem for the whole country, especially the economy.

That is why, he said, he hopes Filipinos would strictly heed the call of the government to strictly stay indoors while the Luzon-wide ECQ is in place.

“Yung long term quarantine, medyo mahihirapan tayo. Pero yung sinasasbi ni Pangulo, maaaring mangyari yan sa ibang lugar at sa ibang mga barangay kung talagang very poor ang enforcement ng mga barangay and local government officials (Having a long-term quarantine would be difficult for all of us.

But, as the President has said, this can be imposed in some parts of the country and in barangays where there is poor enforcement of the ECQ),” he said. “Pwede na dyan pumasok ang national government para i-enforce yung maayos na pamamalakad ng quarantine (At that time, the national government can take over to enforce better quarantine procedures).” (Content reposted from Manila Bulletin)

 IN PHOTO: Senator Sonny Angara ( From FACEBOOK/MANILA BULLETIN) 

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DILG orders barangays to post masterlist of cash aid beneficiaries

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday directed barangay captains to make public the names of their community’s beneficiaries for the social amelioration program.

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said village leaders must fully disclose the list of target beneficiaries in order to promote “honesty, transparency, and orderly management” of the financial subsidy from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

He also said the list of beneficiaries can be clearly posted on the barangay hall, city/municipal hall, social center, gymnasium, auditorium, transport terminal, public market, health station, hospital, and other similar public spaces.

“We want the process of identifying the target beneficiaries under the SAP to be transparent. Hence, we have directed all our punong barangays to post the masterlist of beneficiaries in strategic areas in their barangays so that the residents will also be informed if they will receive the said financial assistance from the government,” Año stressed.

“It’s very important to broadcast their lists so the citizens will be enlightened and well-informed that the priority recipients are the poorest families who have no means to earn a living in the middle of this crisis,” he added.

The social amelioration program was implemented to ease the impact of the enhanced community quarantine on the most vulnerable sector of the society since the lockdown effectively stopped the operation of businesses and work, leaving the many poor people without a livelihood.

The enhanced community quarantine across Luzon was imposed to control the transmission of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the highly infectious respiratory illness COVID-19.

“Our intention here is to make sure that the barangays have a correct and complete list of beneficiaries,” said Año. “If the list isn’t complete, the local government unit can take the necessary course of action and inform the DSWD.”

Año added that he issued the order after receiving reports from field officers that there has been a lack of transparency regarding the distribution of social amelioration forms and cash aid. (Contents reposted from Inquirer.net)

Photo credit: Philippine News website)

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