(DILG MC No. 2020-065)
BACKGROUND/BASIS:
- Article II, Sections 4, 5, 9, and 15 of the 1987 Constitution.
- Republic Act (RA) No. 11469 (Bayanihan to Heal as One Act), declaring a State of National Emergency throughout the Philippines and, declaring the urgent need to immediately mobilize assistance in the provision of basic necessities to families and individuals affected by the imposition of community quarantine, especially indigents and families, among others.
- Presidential Proclamation No. 922, issued on March 8, 2020, declaring a State of Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines and enjoining local government units to render full assistance and cooperation and mobilize the necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent, and appropriate response and measures to curtail the COVID-19.
- Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 1, series of 2020 by DILG, DBM, DOLE, DSWD, DOA, DTI, and DOF, outlining guidelines for the provision of social amelioration programs to the most affected residents of the areas under the enhanced community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
GUIDELINES:
- All local government units shall identify all target beneficiaries of the social amelioration measures within their area of jurisdiction as defined and provided for in JMC No. 1, and to provide to the implementing national government agency (NGA) a master list of the said target beneficiaries not later than April 3, 2020. To ensure their expeditious submission, LGUs shall course the list through the Regional or Field Offices of the applicable NGA.
i. No local government unit may require that only voting residents in their area of jurisdiction shall be recognized as target beneficiaries. Non-residents that were stranded due to the community quarantine may be listed as beneficiaries, provided that they meet the qualifications defined in JMC No. 1.
2. All local government units, including the barangays, shall issue the necessary clearances or certifications to applicable target beneficiaries as defined and provided for in JMC No. 1, subject to the strict observance of home quarantine prohibition of mass gatherings.
3. All local government units shall coordinate with the concerned NGA, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the distribution of the grants to its target beneficiaries.
i. The distribution of the grants is subject to the strict observance of home quarantine and prohibition of mass gatherings.
ii. The LGU shall identify suitable drop-off points for food and non-food items prior to their distribution to the target beneficiaries.
iii. The LGU shall, in close coordination with the implementing agencies, lead the door-to-door distribution of grants to their target beneficiaries, subject to distribution or prioritization guidelines set by the concerned NGA.
iv. LGUs shall not install or cause to install any form of signage or appendage crediting any local government official, or bearing his/her image, for the distribution of any of the social amelioration measures under JMC No. 1.
- Failure of the LGUs to comply shall be dealt with in accordance with Section 6 of the RA 11469 and other relevant national laws and policies.
- All DILG Regional Directors and the BARMM Minister of Local Government are hereby directed to cause the widest dissemination of this Memorandum Circular within their respective areas of jurisdiction.
