Bacolod lawmaker asks for more aid, quarantine facilities

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City- Bacolod lone district Rep. Greg Gasataya asked for more financial assistance and more quarantine facilities after this city was placed under a Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) due to the spike in coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 cases.

Gasataya requested Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Bautista for additional help through cash assistance for qualified beneficiaries especially sectors directly affected by the MECQ.

Gasataya said he brought this concern to Bautista during the budget briefing of the House Committee on Appropriations where he is the vice chairman.

The Bacolod solon said some P165 billion was intended for the campaign against COVID-19 under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 law.

Gasataya further said that cash assistance should be extended to families while the city is under MECQ until the end of September.

According to Gasataya, Bautista said the DSWD will continue to extend help to Bacolod City.

Meanwhile, Gasataya also said that in a one-on-one virtual meeting with Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, he requested the latter for additional quarantine facilities for the city.

Villar is the designated “isolation czar” of the National Task Force against COVID-19.

Gasataya underscored the need for more quarantine facilities in the city due to the spike in cases.

He said the isolation facilities is direly needed after the national task force prohibited home quarantine for COVID-19 positive persons.

Gasataya said Villar assured he will help Bacolod as there are available funds for the facilities.