MANILA, Philippines – Barangays should not ask for the voter’s identification card of residents in their area before they give out help, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Wednesday, March 25.

“There are LGUs (local government units) asking for voter’s ID and require [a] list of voters before helping,” DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said during the government’s Laging Handa briefing.

“Bawal po ‘yan. Panahon po ngayon ng tulong. Panahon po ngayon ng magandang pamamahala, hindi po panahon ng politika (That’s prohibited. This is a time of help. This is a time for good governance, not a time for politics),” he added.

The national government is so far primarily counting on LGUs to provide essentials for Filipinos affected by multiple lockdowns across the country, which are being enforced to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus.

Malaya added that when barangays distribute food packs, they should already give families food that would last for at least 3 days. This is to lessen the need for residents to go out, as leaving their homes may increase the chances of them getting infected. – Rappler.com