Workers lamented on the decision of the government to extend enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal for another week.
“Nagrekomenda po ang IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) na pahabain pa ang enhanced community quarantine ng minimum na isang linggo sa buong Metro Manila at mga probinsya ng Laguna, Bulacan, Cavite at Rizal,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Saturday.
Because of the extension, Annalyn Mejias, who works in a cafeteria, is also worried.
When dine-in is allowed, the store earns up to P30,000 per day.
But when only takeout and delivery were allowed, and the curfew was extended, the income was only P6,000 to P12,000.
It will further deduct the cost of purchasing rice and ingredients, and the daily wage of workers, amounting to P15,000 per day.
The restaurant has also reduced the number of workers to save money.
According to Mejias, she did not want to leave the house for fear of COVID-19 but he had to do it to survive.
“Hindi naman pwedeng diyan lang sa bahay, walang makakain, lalo na may pamilya,” said Mejias.
Workers lament extension of ECQ in NCR Plus
According to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), there is dedicated assistance for the identified beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Up to P1,000 will be given to each individual or P4,000 to each family.
But for the Defend Jobs Philippines group, the P1,000 government grant is enough for only 4 days.
“The 1,000-peso aid is obviously not enough and can only help poor Filipino families sustain their food necessities for just four days,” said Defend Jobs Spokesperson Christian Lloyd Magsoy.
“With a week of ECQ implementation, both the national and local governments must speed up their moves to distribute this small amount of cash aid to our people who are badly needing support,” he added.
The Bayan Muna group said P10,000 should be given as aid to workers severely affected by the lockdown.
Meanwhile, with the extended ECQ, the government will intensify the implementation of the “prevent, detect, isolate, treat and reintegrate” strategy to reduce COVID-19 cases.