On the second anniversary of his Sampung Libong Pag-asa initiative on Tuesday, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said he will continue to push for the provision of P10,000 in cash aid for each family, maintaining that the government has the money to implement it.
“We will continue to push for it. May pera, pero hindi priority ng gobyerno to do it that way,” Cayetano said in a short Facebook live before the celebration on May 2, 2023.
The independent senator had filed the proposed Sampung Pag-asa Law upon his return to the Senate on July 2022 where it is awaiting deliberation at the committee level.
According to Cayetano, the Department of Finance (DOF) itself has confirmed that there is P200 billion in the country’s budget that can be used to implement the proposal.
However, he said, the administration’s policy makers prefer to scatter the budget among various social protection programs under different agencies, which he says is less efficient.
“Ang policy ng administrasyon is ilagay y’ung iba sa PhilHealth, sa AICS (Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations) sa DSWD, sa DOLE, sa DA, sa iba’t ibang program,” he said.
“Ang mga negosyo nakabangon na, pero ang mga indibidwal hindi pa. So kung papipilahin mo pa sila sa DA, sa DSWD, et cetera, makakakuha naman pero hirap pa at hindi lahat,” he continued.
While pushing for the 10K Ayuda Bill’s approval in the Senate, Cayetano also vowed to continue his Sampung Libong Pag-asa program initiative in which he distributes P10,000 in cash each to chosen beneficiaries from across the country.
Cayetano, together with his wife Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, celebrated its second year on Tuesday by giving out P10,000 in cash aid each to 60 new beneficiaries from Muntinlupa, Marikina, Manila, Pasay, and Parañaque.
Cayetano encouraged the recipients to use the P10,000 as a tool in order to concretize their entrepreneurial ideas and vision.
“Y’ung kayamanan na dala niyo paglabas niyo dito ay hindi lang po yung P10,000. Ang dala niyo ay y’ung idea niyo kung paano palaguin ‘yon,” he told the beneficiaries.
He also urged them to form their own groups so that follow-through programs to help them grow their micro businesses, such as seminars and skills training, can be conducted more easily.
“Sana you keep in touch. Kasi ang balak namin, hindi lang i-honor ang Panginoon, hindi lang i-honor kayo, kundi magkaroon ng partnership,” he said.
