Second wave of relief goods to include low income, low middle class Cebu City residents

Rice subsidy for underprivileged residents in Cebu City is awaiting delivery to the different barangays. | Photo Courtesy of Cebu City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The second wave of the relief aid from the Cebu City government will no longer just be for the poorest of the poor.

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella said in an interview with KBP-Cebu hosted by radio station DYAB that unlike the first wave of relief assistance, which was given to the poorest households, he has instructed that the second wave be also given to low income and low middle-class households.

The relief goods will be coursed through the barangays (villages), who will be tasked to identify the beneficiaries.

“Karon nga na-extend atong ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine), ang mga low middle class nato nahurot na pud na ilang supply, gipanggutom napud na sila. Angay lang sila hatagan,” said the mayor.

(Now that our ECQ has been extended, the low middle class no longer have supplies, they are also going hungry. They deserve to be given aid.)

On April 24, Labella already announced that the city will be purchasing an additional 150,000 sacks of rice to be distributed to the barangays as the ECQ will be extended to May 15, 2020.

Read: Cebu City ECQ to be extended until May 15

The mayor said on April 28 that the rice must be packed by 15 kilograms (kg) instead of the usual 25 kg. This way more households will be given the relief goods.

He encouraged the barangays to also use the P1 million to P3 million cash aid the city has provided to them to buy the necessary food aid for the residents.

The barangays were given cash aid by the city on March 2020 to be used for relief aid for residents and personal protective equipment (PPEs). /bmjo