The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is requiring organizations to secure a certification from the local government unit before conducting relief operation in areas under enhance community quarantine.

“(DILG) Sec. (Eduardo) Ano, released a directive, that all of the relief organizations needs to show certification to prove that they have coordinated with the local government unit to distribute relief goods,” DILG Usec. Jonathan Malaya said in the Laging Handa briefing on Saturday.

“Relief organizations are not allowed to directly go to barangay to distribute their relief goods because that will violate our policy of stay at home at the same time it violates the mass gathering and social distancing policy of the government,” he said.

“So we are asking the relief organizations to coordinate first with the beneficiary LGUs and ask for certification from them,” he added.

Malaya said Ano issued his directive after PNP Deputy Chief for Operation Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar reported there are groups using relief operations as reason to pass checkpoints.

Malaya recalled that last Sunday a group of Anakpawis members were arrested by police for violating the enhanced community quarantine when they tried to organize mass gathering in Norzagaray, Bulacan.

He said the apprehended Anakpawis members were released on bail, but he reiterated the warning of Ano that authorities will not hesitate to apprehend them if they will repeat this.

Malaya said the Anakpawis members who claimed they will conduct relief operations were able to pass the checkpoint using the food pass issued by the Department of Agriculture. Robina Asido/DMS