MANILA, Philippines – The Quezon City government will be providing food to 400,000 families who were displaced by the enhanced community quarantine ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Under the enhanced community quarantine that will last until April 14, only private establishments providing basic necessities will be allowed to remain open.

In a press conference on Wednesday, March 18, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said the city government would be supplying food for the 400,000 displaced families during the weeks of March 23 to 27 and March 30 to April 5.

For this week, Belmonte asked barangay captains to utilize their Quick Response Fund to provide food for the displaced families. She explained that it would take time for the city government to procure the food supplies.

Belmonte earlier declared a state of calamity in Quezon City to enable all 142 barangays to access the Quick Response Fund.

For the week of April 6 to April 12, she appealed to the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the private sector to help provide food for the displaced families. 

“Medyo magkukulang na po ang pondo ng lungsod sapagkat ang Quick Response Fund natin ay mauubos na, at ang halaga nito ay P400 million lang ‘ata. And we have other things to take care of, katulad ng mga hospital equipment, ‘yung mga iba pang mga pangangailangan patungkol naman sa pagtugon ng sakit,” Belmonte said.

(The fund of the city will be insufficient because the Quick Response Fund is almost depleted, since we only have P400 million, I think. And we have other things to take care of, such as hospital equipment, other needs in response to sickness.)

Quezon City has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country, with a total of 29 as of Wednesday. Two barangays with 3 cases each were placed under heightened community quarantine.

Health officials had recorded 202 coronavirus cases as of Wednesday, while the global tally rose to 189,680 cases. – Rappler.com