Cebu City targets 200K families for rice assistance

One of the biggest rice suppliers in Cebu shows there is enough rice supply amidst the threat of Covid-19. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Government is now targeting around 200,000 families who will benefit from the free sacks of rice as assistance due to the impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

At a press conference on Monday, March 23, 2020, City Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia told reporters they have increased their target from 160,000 to 200,000. This means 40,000 more families stand to benefit.

Garcia confirmed that the sacks of rice, which are scheduled to be distributed this Wednesday, March 25, 2020, have arrived.

Garcia said the city government and barangay officials agreed that each family qualified for the assistance would be provided with 25 kilograms of rice instead of 50 kilograms.

He added that the suggestion stemmed from concerns of barangay officials that a lot of residents in their respective areas needed help due to COVID-19 threats.

“We agreed, and the mayor (Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella) has also given his permission, that we will be allocating each family 25 kilos. This is half of the original plan that was 50 kilos — so that a lot can benefit from it,” said Garcia.

However, the councilor reiterated that the sacks of rice would be intended only for residents in Cebu City who were displaced from their jobs as a result of COVID-19’s economic impact — particularly those classified living in a ‘no work, no pay’ condition.

These would include habal-habal drivers in the city, he said.

“We’re not giving out sacks of rice to everyone in the barangay. And we hope the public understands. We will be prioritizing those who were displaced from their work, and in dire need of assistance,” he added.

Distribution mechanisms

Due to orders that strict social distancing must be observed in public spaces in the city, Labella said they had tapped the help of law enforcers from the Philippine Army and the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) to conduct the distribution.

In a follow-up interview, Garcia said they would be aiming house-to-house delivery of the sacks of rice to the beneficiaries with an added help from barangay officers.

But in case that this arrangement would not be possible, Garcia added that the recipients of the assistance would have to go to their barangay sports facility or covered courts.

“Provided that mechanisms for an orderly distribution are in place, and that strict social distancing will still be observed,” he said.

The city has allocated P1 billion worth of funds to respond and cushion the impact of COVID-19 which has infected 396 individuals in the country, and killed 33./dbs