Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano has expressed optimism the proposed annual distribution of P10,000 cash assistance to every Filipino family would be included in the country’s five-year economic plan.
“We have to be there for our people. Many of them are upholding the bayanihan spirit in their own ways by providing food for the frontliners and to the community pantries and tutoring students who are finding the new system of the Education Department difficult. I have no doubt that the P10,000 cash assistance should be included in the five-year plan,” he said.
“The minimum number of years for the distribution should be three to five years because of the following reasons: one, to help the people recover from the pandemic; two, so no one has to go hungry; and three, for the money to circulate in the community,” he added.
Cayetano said the distribution of the P10,000 cash assistance would be similar to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the government.
“This is not a new idea because we already allocate P100 billion every year for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. That is P100 billion, so you only have to add P100 to 250 billion a year and everyone will receive cash assistance,” he said.
In developing the five-year economic plan, Cayetano said a “neutral” and non-partisan leader should convene the team, citing a former Supreme Court Chief Justice, an economist, or National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua as examples.
“It would be better if we can make it inclusive to avoid politicking and to help whoever wins the 2022 elections have an inclusive plan “ he added.