In a speech to the nation on 25 March 2020, President Danilo Medina announced direct deposits for the 811,000 who have Solidaridad welfare cards and had been receiving RD$1,500 a month food stipends. The amount is now increased to RD$5,000 in two payments through 31 May. An additional RD$2,000 is to be added to households where elderly of 70+ years reside.
He also announced companies will receive RD$8,500 per employee in the formal sector to cover wages in April and May. He said this is to maintain a minimum level of consumption.
He explained the government is accessing RD$32 billion from ARL reserves, a Central Bank loan to the government given the State of Emergency and US$150 million in disaster mitigation financing already contracted with the World Bank.
Medina also announced the governmental Banco de Reservas was eliminating the monthly minimum payment for its credit cards, fees for arrears and has lowered the interest rate for credit card borrowing. He called for other banks to do the same.
The President said that the governmental Social Plan agency was distributing rations to families in their barrios. He said 15,000 families nationwide would benefit from the delivery of food enough for three meals a day for nine days. The distribution efforts have been criticized for resulting in agglomerations of people.
Moreover, President Danilo Medina said that INABIE public school welfare plan was distributing 1.3 million raw food rations for families to cook meals for their children at home. He said social agencies were distributing 25,000 food rations to daycare center children.
Likewise, he explained that the government cafeterias (Comedores Económicos) were also making available 100,000 cooked food rations at different centers and mobile cafeterias, said the President. “We are going to visit the barrios and rural areas to deliver food staples to all who need these,” said the President.
Medina said that as of Thursday, 26 March 2020, rapid response tests would be available in the country. He said the Roche and Berlin protocol tests will be free at the government laboratory and now at the two authorized labs – Amadita and Referencia for persons 59 years or older. The tests need to be prescribed. The President in a speech on Tuesday, 17 March 2020 had stated that the ARS would be covering the tests for those who had health insurance plans. This has not happened.
The President urged Dominicans to stay at home and practice social isolation that he says has proven to work to stem the virus. “Keep distance of two arms, wash hands every time you go out and don’t touch your eyes, mouth or nose with your hands,” he said.
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26 March 2020