The Manila City Council has authorized the disbursement of P60 million in financial aid to the capital’s 20,000 government workers expected to be affected during Luzon’s month-long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown.
According to City Ordinance 8620, P3,000 will be given to each of Manila’s 10,000 regular and 10,000 job order employees.
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso also appealed to commercial establishments to waive rental fees while the Philippines’ most populous island remains under enhanced community quarantine.
“This appeal is being made with the utmost intention of cushioning the socio-economic impact of the present crisis in the City of Manila,” Domagoso said in his letter.
“I am humbly and sincerely asking and hoping for your understanding,” said Domagoso.
Manila declared a state of calamity earlier this week as the city tended to five COVID-19 patients and monitored 118 others who may be possible carriers of the disease.
On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire country under a state of calamity as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country rose to nearly 200, with 14 dead, 4 recovered and over a hundred still hospitalized.
Luzon’s borders are expected to be sealed later this week, except for repatriation flights and cargo containing basic necessities like food and medical supplies.
The World Health Organization described the COVID-19, which originated from Wuhan, China, as a global pandemic after it killed nearly 8,000 people, while 197,000 others have been infected.
