Former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and his allies from the Balik sa Tamang Serbisyo (BTS) sa Kongreso movement marked Labor Day by giving P10,000 in cash assistance each to nearly 200 beneficiaries from all over the country as part of their campaign for the immediate passage of their proposed 10k Ayuda Bill.
With the aim of reaching the poorest and most vulnerable sectors severely affected by the pandemic, Cayetano and the BTS movement held a live virtual event called the “Sampung Libong Pag-asa” where they gave cash aid beneficiaries from 13 different areas in the Philippines.
The areas covered by the “Sampung Libong Pag-asa” event were Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Camarines Sur, Caloocan City, Marikina City, Quezon City, Taguig City, Mandaluyong City, Pateros, Sta. Rosa City in Laguna, Antipolo City in Rizal, and Ormoc City in Leyte.
“Mga tunay na tao ito na tunay ang problema, na bago magkaroon ng pandemya ay hirap na at ngayon ay hirap na hirap. Ilan lang ang [nabigyan] today, at bagama’t maraming na-i-inspire na gusto ring tumulong, kailangan pa rin talaga natin itong batas na ito para lahat mabigyan,” Cayetano said during the program.
“Hopefully, itong gagawin natin today, in the spirit of bayanihan through private sponsors and donors, ma-encourage ang Congress pag-open ng May 17 na ‘yung 10K Ayuda Bill at Bayanihan 3 ay itulak naman at ipasa na,” he added.
Cayetano was joined by Taguig 2nd District Maria Laarni “Lani” Cayetano; Batangas 2nd District Rep. Raneo Abu; Caloocan City 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice; Barangay Captain Ziff Ancheta of Tumana, Marikina City; Bulacan 1st District Rep. Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado; Mandaluyong City Lone District Rep. Neptali Gonzales II;
Cavite Reps. Francis Gerald Abaya, Luis Ferrer IV, Elpidio Barzaga, Jr., and Abraham Tolentino; Laguna 1st District Rep. Dan Fernandez; Antipolo City 1st District Rep. Roberto Puno; Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor; Camarines Sur 2nd District Luis Raymund Villafuerte, Jr.; and Leyte 4th District Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez.
“Sa hirap ng buhay ngayon, dapat lahat tayo ‘wag mawalan ng pag-asa [at] dapat maging inspirasyon sa ating mga kababayan,” Rep. Villafuerte, who co-hosted the program, said.
“Kami naman sa Kongreso, kasama si Congressman Alan Peter, kasama naman na tumutulak na sana maging totoo ito sa lalong madaling panahon, itong P10,000 tinutulak namin,” he added.
“Napakalaking tulong na po ng natanggap kong P10,000. Hindi na po ako mangungutang ng puhunan para makapagtinda,” Merly Agot Nolan, one of the beneficiaries from Sta. Rosa City, said in the program.
“Wala na pong mas masarap sa pakiramdam kapag nakikita ko pong natutulungan po tayong mga Pilipino, at sobra-sobra po akong natutuwa sa nakikita kong pagtutulungan ng bawat Pilipino,” she added.
For Lorna Javierto, the P10,000 cash assistance from Cayetano and his group will enable her to provide for the needs and education of her children.
“Malaking tulong po sa akin ito dahil ako lang po ang naghahanapbuhay. Masusustentuhan ko na po ang pamilya ko at ang mga anak ko sa kanilang pag-aaral,” Javierto said.
The Sampung Libong Pag-asa event is grounded on Cayetano’s proposed 10K Ayuda Bill, which aims to provide each Filipino family with a one-time cash assistance of P10,000 or P1,500 per family member, whichever is higher.
In one of his previous interviews, Cayetano said they began the distribution of the P10,000 cash assistance as early as February while waiting for the passage of the proposed 10K Ayuda Bill because the lives of the people cannot wait.
A total of 38 beneficiaries had already received P10,000 cash assistance each from Cayetano and his fellow lawmakers between February and April this year.