JAKARTA, Tuesday (31/03/2020) - Minister of Social Affairs Juliari P. Batubara said the government was finalizing options for distributing food packages directly to the people affected by the corona virus epidemic. Assistance will be distributed to the affected community in the epicenter area of the corona virus spreading.

The distribution of direct food assistance is part of a fiscal stimulus for a social safety net delivered by President Joko Widodo, this afternoon. The President announced the government's move to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic by launching additional state budget 2020 of spending and financing worth Rp405.1 trillion.

"In the stimulus package, for social safety net amounting to Rp110 trillion. Well, for the distribution of direct food packages, it is part of the basic food logistics support and basic needs, with a value of Rp25 trillion. And for the mechanism, we will formulate it within one or two days," said Social Minister Juliari, in Jakarta, Tuesday (03/31/2020).

Citing President Joko Widodo's statement at the Bogor Palace this afternoon, the Minister said, the government launched a fiscal stimulus to handle the Corona Pandemic of Rp. 405.1 trillion. The total budget is allocated to four sectors; IDR 75 trillion for health spending; IDR 110 trillion for social protection; IDR 70.1 trillion for tax incentives and stimulus for People's Business Credit; IDR 150 trillion for financing the national economic recovery program.

The distribution of direct food packages is a new policy, aside from the social assistance for the Basic Needs Program and the Family Hope Program (PKH). "At the same time this is a response to public expectations, so that people with the lowest economic level affected by the spread of the corona virus, will immediately get help," said the Minister.

Juliari added that the direct distribution of groceries packages was aimed at people affected in the epicenter area of the corona virus spreading. "So this is a new policy. Outside the regular social safety program that has been running at the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Sembako Program and PKH, "said the Minister.

The Minister of Social Affairs denied the perception that the government was slow in responding to various problems faced by the affected communities of Covid-19. "The government needs to calculate carefully, all the consequences so that the implementation goes well. Through regular social assistance, such as PKH and the Sembako Program, the community can immediately feel it, "he said.

However, in its distribution, the Minister of Social Affairs advised that it should be carried out with full attention to the provisions of social distancing. "This needs attention. The Ministry of Social Affairs through social pillars and companions have enforced this provision. It might also be necessary to involve the police so that there will be no crowd, "said the Minister.

In addition to the option of distributing food packages directly to affected communities, the Ministry of Social Affairs is also discussing adding social assistance to 3.7 million informal sector workers with the Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta. With the social assistance program, it is hoped that it can restrain the people's desire to go back to their hometown.

Previously delivered, the Sembako Program and PKH was part of the social safety net policy as a form of support from the Ministry of Social Affairs in reducing the burden on poor and vulnerable families. 

The Ministry of Social Affairs has increased the basic food aid program index from initially IDR 150,000 / beneficiary family / month to IDR 200,000 / beneficiary family / month. The increase in social assistance by Rp 50,000 was intended for the 15.2 million beneficiary family of nine-basic necessities provided during the nine months, from March to November 2020.

The Ministry of Social Affairs also accelerated the distribution of aid to 10 million beneficiary family of PKH. The distribution of PKH assistance is done every three months four times a year. Namely in January, April, July and October every year. For the second disbursement period, i.e., in April will be advanced this March.

Likewise, the disbursement for the third period in July will be advanced in April. The acceleration of the disbursement of PKH social assistance is expected to maintain the purchasing power of beneficiary family of PKH and can be utilized properly by beneficiary family to improve children's nutrition so that they can avoid the spread of the corona virus.

Public Relations Bureau
Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs