COVID-19 RESPONSE. Officials and residents of Barangay N.S. Amoranto maintain social distancing while the walk-in application for the DSWD's SAP is ongoing in front of the barangay hall. The village is also using an Integrated Barangay Information System (IBIS), to ensure equal distribution of aid to residents amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis. (Contributed photo from Barangay N.S. Amoranto)
MANILA – The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak has brought out the best in some local leaders in terms of responding to the situation.
Barangay N. S. Amoranto in Quezon City's first district is using an Integrated Barangay Information System (IBIS), to further enhance its emergency response amid Covid-19 pandemic.
"The provision of relief assistance for our constituents is more efficient with the use of IBIS," village chief Arthuro de Guzman told the Philippine News Agency Thursday.
Using the IBIS, he said, those households who received and did not receive any assistance from the barangay, are being monitored.
He added the duplication of the recipients in their barangay can be avoided so "their recipients are provided with assistance fairly."
The IBIS, he said, can be used for "transparent governance".
Social distancing
De Guzman said barangay officials and residents, are also practicing social distancing during the distribution of the relief packs.
He said they are using a contactless relief assistance delivery.
During the schedule of food packs distribution, residents are urged to put a chair outside their homes. The food packs from the barangay will be put in the chair along with the master list from the barangay.
The head of the household will sign in the list with their own pen, to note that they already received the assistance. They can now get the relief assistance without direct contact to the barangay officials.
De Guzman added that they are also implementing a stricter quarantine curfew.
People are urged to stay home and no one is allowed to roam around the barangay beyond 8 p.m.
The curfew will only be lifted at 5 a.m. every day.
Each household, he said, is given only one quarantine pass that they can use in going to the market to buy essential commodities.
He said they are strictly imposing the "no quarantine pass, no entry" policy to avoid crowding of the people in the market or grocery stores.
Selling of liquors in their entire area is prohibited, he added.
Financial assistance
Based on the 2015 census, he said there are about 1, 691 households living in the Barangay Amoranto, and only 882 slots are allocated for the financial assistance under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
It is quite challenging, he said, to explain why only 882 of them out of 1, 691 households will be getting the cash aid.
He also assured that the SAP cash aid will not be abused, noting that they are prioritizing the poorest of the poor in distributing financial assistance.
Those who will not receive monetary assistance from the SAP, he said, can also receive aid from the local government of Quezon City (QC).
Each household, he said, will receive cash aid from the QC government amounting to PHP4,000.
Aside from this, he said they are also helping in distributing the financial assistance from the 'Kalingang QC' program of their local government.
Under the program, the local government will be providing PHP2,000 in monetary assistance to the drivers of public utility jeepney, tricycles, pedicabs, market vendors, solo parents, and persons with disability (PWDs) and those who are affected by the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
De Guzman urged his constituents to spend wisely the cash assistance they received from the government
He then appealed for patience to his constituents.
"Since na-extend po ang ECQ natin, nais kong hilingin sa kanila na konting pagtitiis pa (Since the ECQ has been extended, I would like to ask everyone to have more patience), he said.
He encouraged his people to cooperate with the government and help to halt the spread of the Covid-19 in the country.
"Nagpapasalamat din ako sa mga kabarangay natin na sumusunod at tumutulong sa ating mga activities ng barangay (I am also thanking those who are following the quarantine measures and helping in our barangay activities)," he said. (PNA)
