Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso signed Ordinance No. 8739 that authorizes the release of Supplemental Budget No. 4, Series of 2021, to cover the expenses for the city’s COVID-19 Food Security Program (FSP).
Under the ordinance, the FSP will get additional funding amounting to P1.427 billion.
As of Friday, March 26, the city’s FSP food boxes for the month had already reached all six districts of Manila.
“Pangarap natin na walang magutom sa Maynila,” Domagoso reiterated in his latest weekly report to the City of Manila. “We are now preparing for the month of April.”
Launched in February, the FSP aims to provide a food box — which contains three kilos of rice, 16 pieces of canned goods, and eight sachets of coffee — to around 700,000 families in the city. It is one of the city’s key strategies in addressing the economic devastation wrought by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Domagoso said the additional funding will ensure that the FSP food box deliveries will continue in May, June, and July. “Nahanapan po namin ng pera. Hindi man po ito solusyon ng pangkalahatan, pero ang layunin namin ay maibsan man lang ang inyong buwanang gastusin. Pipilitin namin na maitawid ang ating mga kababayan.”
The mayor thanked the Manila City Council (MCC) for their continued support of the program. Vice Mayor Dr. Maria Sheila ‘Honey’ Lacuna-Pangan served as presiding officer in the deliberations over the ordinance, while Councilor Atty. Joel Chua was the majority floor leader.
Domagoso previously explained that the City of Manila’s budget had to be realigned to finance the FSP. Initially, P3 billion had been allocated for the program in the City of Manila’s 2021 budget.
He noted that he and the MCC decided to temporarily postpone some road projects so that the funds could be allotted for the FSP. “Pasensyahan na po ninyo. Pinagpapauna ko na po. Makakaramdam kayo ng paglubak ng kalsada ng Maynila. This may bring some level of discomfort. Pero ang kalsada na ‘yan ay walang bitukang kakalam.”
Domagoso said that while Manila’s roads will continue to be maintained, there will most likely be no major work done this year. He also appealed to the public to strictly follow the prescribed health protocols and to practice self-discipline.
The City of Manila is currently implementing granular lockdowns lasting for four days on barangays with 10 or more COVID-19 cases. Domagoso’s order is that the barangays that are under lockdowns or are scheduled to be locked down should be prioritized in the delivery of FSP food boxes