Group demands continuous aid even under GCQ
Manila, Philippines — As most places in Luzon will be eased from the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) to general community quarantine (GCQ), the militant fishers group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) on Thursday said that government’s financial subsidy must continue even under the softer GCQ.
“Economic activities including transportation are still limited under the GCQ, affecting significant number of ordinary workers who barely make ends meet. Government subsidy and relief aid should not stop with the lifting of the ECQ,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson said in a statement.
The fisherfolk group added that farmers and fisherfolks need at least P15, 000 production subsidy especially with another oil price hike that took effect last week. PAMALAKAYA said the subsidy could be sourced from the whopping P51-billion budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA) intended for pandemic response.
“The DA should divert its funds from ALPAS-COVID and Food Logistics to direct fishing and farming production subsidy to strengthen the capacity of our food producers,” ended Hicap. ###
