Philippines hands out cash to poor during virus lockdown

A woman presents documents as she waits to receive cash assistance from the government at an elementary school in Manila, Philippines, on Aug 11, 2021. - Reuters

MANILA (AFP): Philippine tricycle driver Jesus Gomez struggled to make a living even before the capital Manila went back into a coronavirus lockdown last week that forced most of his customers to stay home and halved his meagre income.

Six months behind in rent and unable to afford cooking gas, the 77-year-old joined hundreds of others Wednesday (Aug 11) at a covered basketball court to receive a thousand peso (US$20) government handout.