Former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday reiterated his call for the inclusion of P10,000 in direct cash aid to every Filipino household as part of the economic recovery plan for the country, saying only government has the means to provide the amount.
“Let’s give people 10,000 pesos, not 10,000 excuses,” Cayetano said at a press conference on July 23 just before holding the Sampung Libong Pag-Asa event in Caloocan City.
“And while the government continues to give excuses, we will continue giving out 10,000 ayuda to the best of our ability,” he added.
Held weekly, the Sampung Libong Pag-asa live virtual event has already distributed P10,000 in cash aid to more than 6,800 beneficiaries all over the country, including 415 who received the amount in Caloocan City on Friday.
Clarifying that the funds disbursed through the Sampung Libong Pag-Asa program have primarily come from the private sector, business owners, and concerned citizens, Cayetano said much more needs to be done.
“Even if we get the 20 richest Filipinos to donate one billion (pesos) each, we would still only have 20 billion. We don’t need just 20 billion. We need 150 to 200 billion. The government can afford it,” he said.
Cayetano and his allies in Congress filed the 10K Ayuda Bill on February 1 with the aim of distributing P10,000 to each Filipino family that can be used for daily needs and to start or revive a small business.
It was was consolidated in Bayanihan 3 but the provision of P10,000 was not adopted.
Cayetano said he wants prospective presidential candidates to include 10K Ayuda in their own platforms but added he will push for it himself if none of them do so.
“Kapag hindi nila yayakapin yung 10k na ayuda sa bawat pamilya, baka hudyat sa akin yan na kailangan ko na ilaban ‘to by running for president,” he said.
(If they do not embrace the P10,000 cash aid to each Filipino family [in their programs of action), that might be the signal for me that I need to fight for this by running for president.)
Caloocan City 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice, who was with Cayetano at the Sampung Libong Pag-Asa event in the city, agreed that the program represented the most direct form of assistance the government can provide to families struggling with the economic effects of the pandemic.
“Etong P10,000 per family, ito yung pinaka-proactive na pwedeng gawin ng gobyerno para matulungan ang pamilyang Pilipino,” Erice said.
(This P10,000 per family, this is the most proactive action that the government can make to help Filipino families.)###