Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has reportedly joined the snowballing call for the release of funds to finance the P10K Ayuda Bill being pushed in the House of Representatives by a group of administration congressmen led by former speaker and incumbent Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano.

Cayetano disclosed that Tarlac City and the municipality of Alburquerque in Bohol have also declared their support for the immediate passage of the measure currently pending in the Lower hOuse.

Filed by Cayetano, Taguig Rep. Lani Cayetano, and their allies in the House of Representatives on February 1, 2021, House Bill 8597 or the the 10K Ayuda Bill seeks to give each Filipino family P10,000 or P1,500 per family member, whichever is higher, that they can use for their daily needs or to start their own businesses as the country waits for the full roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination program.

HB 8597 was referred to the House Committee on Social Service headed by Quezon City 5th District Rep. Alfred Vargas.

In a statement, Go urged President Rodrigo Duterte and concerned national government agencies to provide additional assistance to poor Filipinos through an expanded Social Amelioration Program.

He said government agencies need to help all poor Filipinos overcome the difficulties caused by the rising number of COVID-19 cases and ensure that all sectors needing government assistance are prioritized.

Go also said the government must work together to fill in the gaps as the needs of Filipino families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic continue to grow and evolve.

Cayetano welcomed Go’s statement, saying it was “very significant” since the senator is the President’s “eyes and ears.”

Recently, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of  Tarlac City Sangguniang Panlungsod adopted a resolution calling for the approval of the 10K Ayuda bill to “ensure that every Filipino is given additional assistance in recognition of the fact that we have all been affected by the pandemic, economic setbacks, and all the hardships brought about in the year 2020.”

In Bohol, local legislators of  Alburquerque said the eventual passage of the 10K Ayuda Bill “would greatly benefit our countrymen who have been extremely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The resolution quoted Cayetano as saying, “although Filipinos are known for their grit and resilience, assistance to our countrymen is still needed to help them survive and get back on their feet amid the pandemic while a viable vaccine program for all Filipinos is being rolled out by the government.”

It also noted that the bill will ensure delivery of the assistance to all families since it mandates the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) “to establish, maintain, and operate a telephone hotline, website, and mobile application in order to effectively facilitate the rollout of the said program.”

The resolution was signed by Vice Mayor Alexis Fernan Simeon and all 10 Sangguniang Bayan members.

Cayetano also cited a tweet by actress Liza Soberano that recently went viral as she said her “heart bleeds for all the people who cannot afford not to go out and work.”

Soberano said in comparison, US citizens have received two rounds of stimulus packages and are waiting for the third, and its COVID-19 testing and vaccinations are free. 

“Where is the support for the poor in our country?” she said. Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas had earlier pushed for the P10,000 cash assistance, while her group has launched an online petition urging government to provide aid to those affected by the pandemic as well as the natural calamities that hit the country in recent months.