MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon, March 29 (PIA) - In an effort to help the province's thousands of "no-work no-pay" workers who were hit by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), Bukidnon provincial government allotted 700 million pesos as assitance.

Governor Jose Maria Zubiri Jr, in a press briefing, said the amount will be used to procure staple food for distribution to the province's 100,000 poor families whose daily earnings were badly affected.

"We must be able to help them even in small ways like this. Each poor family listed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as indigent-but not a member of 4Ps-will receive one sack of rice; one box of canned sardines; and one box of canned meatloaf and other assorted canned goods," Zubiri said.

He clarified that only those who were severely affected by the "ECQ" being implemented by the local government units (LGUs) can avail of the food aid.

Bukidnon has 20 towns and 2 cities. Hence, the distribution should be done in batches, he said.

The first batch of recipients will be from the towns of Impasugong, San Fernando, Cabanglasan, Lantapan, Pangantucan, and Kalilangan.

Those towns that have not yet been scheduled must wait for further announcement or notice from their respective LGUs, the governor said.

Early this month, Zubiri issued Executive Order No. 13 placing the entire province of Bukidnon under Community Quarantine to quell the spread of coronavirus.

Officials have implemented lockdowns that prevent people from leaving their towns and cities while imposing curfew.

On Friday, the Department of Health's COVID-19 bulletin showed Bukidnon has 679 Persons Under Monitoring (PUMs) and 65 Persons Under Investigation (PUIs).

In an interview, provincial health officer Dr. Ricardo Reyes said, "the province has 'zero' confirmed COVID-19 case as of this report, which may be due to the people's cooperation and vigilance." (RLRBalistoy, PIA Bukidnon)