MANILA, Philippines — Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista has asked for understanding for the shortcomings in the first few days of the implementation of the government’s two-month social amelioration program for low-income families. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año had vowed to suspend local officials involved in irregularities in the distribution of the aid, he said. He said the barangay or the City Social Welfare and Development Office should identify and certify that a family is homeless or belongs to the vulnerable sector. These homeless or street persons need to be registered to a barangay so they could be given a social amelioration card and be made a priority, he said. Senators have asked the executive department to fast-track the implementation of the social amelioration program and other programs to help vulnerable sectors cope with the effects of the Luzon-wide quarantine.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer April 11, 2020 20:03 UTC