Cebu vows cash aid to residents stranded outside the province

CEBU, Philippines –  Residents of Cebu who were unable to return to the province after it was placed under lockdown on March 25 will receive cash assistance from the Cebu provincial government.

“We will help those who were stranded outside of Cebu province,” Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said at her COVID-19 press conference on Tuesday, April 14.

Information about the aid is available on the Stranded Cebuanos Assistance Center Facebook page, including the form to be filled out by those who want to avail of the assistance. They will be asked to provide their contact information and the reason for their travel outside Cebu.

The barangay captains in their places of residence in the province will verify the information. After this, their mayors or city or municipal social welfare and development officers and the barangay captains will issue certifications of validity.

“When fully verified, we will send assistance,” Garcia said. The money will be sent through a remittance center.

However, the provincial government has yet to determine how much the cash assistance would be. Garcia explained this is because there’s no estimate yet of how many Cebu residents are stranded in other parts of the country.

“We’re still trying to determine how much we could afford to give,” Garcia said. – Rappler.com