Ano urges LGUs: cut red tape, help constituents in COVID-19 crisis

March 25, 2020

Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano on Wednesday told local chief executives and barangay officials that local elections are still far away and they should focus on helping their constituents during this crisis.

Ano made the statement after some local officials “overdo” their implementation of enhanced community quarantine while some are asking for a voter’s ID first before giving quarantine passes and food assistance.

“Those are not the correct way… report those barangay officials to us and we will take action on it… voter’s id is not a requirement for quarantine passes or food assistance,” he said.

“Elections are still far, forget about it for now… but what you are doing now will be the basis of the people if you will be elected on the next election or not,” he added.

Ano also told LGUs to utilize their funds and distribute food packs to the people, even if that person is not yet a voter of the area.

“We are reminding all LGUs to utilize their funds now and distribute food packs to all who are in need of food… so to those who will not receive (food packs) just report to DILG’s action centers so we will call the attention of LGUs,” he said.

“The barangay quarantine pass, there is no hard rule on that… some LGUs issue it but some were not… as long as they can control the movement of their constituents… this is a good control measures actually but this will force people to line up at barangays, this are not advisable… with or without quarantine passes, people should be allowed to buy their food as long as they are the representative of their family,” he said.

Under the Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan Act 2020, LGUs are allowed to continue exercising their autonomy in matters undefined by the national government and they should fully cooperate towards unified, cohesive, and orderly implementation of the national policy to address COVID-19.

All LGUs shall be authorized to utilize more than five percent of the amount allocated to their calamity fund.

Ano said they can tap the help of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as long as they  used up their funds.

The secretary added that window hours for buying food in the markets and groceries “should be lifted”.

“For supermarket, (wet) market, I’m advising all LGUs to lift the window hours for marketing or buying because imposing window hours will just make people go in pack, it should be 12 hours and observe social distancing,” Ano said.

The DILG also released a memorandum circular ordering LGUs to prepare  funeral services that can cremate those died due to COVID-19.

Based on the new guidelines for the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon, LGUs shall designate funeral service facilities of COVID-19 cases, and provide possible financial assistance to cover the logistics, fuel, salary, and other expenses.

Those who will refuse to provide service will be penalized.

“A body of a COVID-19 positive should be cremated within 12 hours,” Ano said.

On their problem with the repatriated OFWs, Ano said they are working with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) so LGUs will allow OFWs to temporary stay in  facilities in their area while waiting for domestic flights to resume.

“We are working with OWWA for the arriving OFWs, we told OWWA to find a place then inform us then we will help them negotiate with LGU to allow the quarantine of the OFWs,” he said.

“You know, if you are a local chief executive of your town, the first tendency is to protect your people… a lot of people coming from outside of course you don’t want that but when we talk to them and told them its patriotic duty to help our fellow Filipinos, they agreed… if there are still other LGUs (who refuse entry) then we will step in and resolve the issue,” he said.

Ano said some LGUs whom they called out for not following the guidelines set by the national government complied.

He reminded them that President Rodrigo Duterte has the prerogative to dismiss or suspend local officials who will abuse their authority and defy the order of the national government.

“If a mayor or governor, abuse his authority or defy an order we can immediately put him under preventive suspension, that is the power of the president even before the investigation is conducted… the president can dismiss any local chief executive if needed… everything is on the prerogative of the president… but we can see that most of the LGUs are following now,” Ano said. Ella Dionisio/DMS