Local governments in best position to distribute aid听鈥斕齊ecto听
SENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto听found听it irrational for the central government to nationalize an activity,听such as the distribution of cash assistance,听that can be better听delivered听by听local听government听units.听
鈥淏ig cities like Manila have the boots on the ground and the muscle memory to conduct large scale distribution of aid, whether in cash or in kind, complex operations which understaffed national agencies may find hard to do on their own,鈥欌澨齭aid Mr. Recto in a press release听on Wednesday.听听
The statement comes after President Rodrigo R. Duterte, in a late Monday night televised address, threatened to strip one city of the authority to distribute the cash aid for the two-week lockdown in Metro Manila.听听
鈥淭he big cities and provinces have division size personnel. Then you鈥檒l replace them with one platoon听of clueless people who don鈥檛 know the terrain,鈥澨齢e said.听
The senator said听maintaining听a partnership with听local governments听鈥渟aves the national government from embarrassment if the job it has assumed to do on its own will end up a flop.鈥澨听
The cash aid distribution started Wednesday with all local governments in charge.听听
Police officers were deployed at the distribution sites to help ensure the observance of health protocols.听听
鈥淲hat happened last week at various vaccination centers where people swarmed should not happen with the cash aid distributions,鈥澨齪olice chief Guillermo T. Eleazar said in a news release on Wednesday.听鈥斕鼳lyssa Nicole O. Tan听and听Bianca Angelica D.听A帽ago听听
