Former House speaker and Taguig-Pateros Representative Alan Peter Cayetano and his allies distributed P10,000 in cash aid to over 200 new beneficiaries in Laguna, to insist on the adoption of their "10k Ayuda Bill" in the proposed Bayanihan 3.
The beneficiaries who received the cash assistance on Friday, May 21, came from 14 different areas in Laguna and either lost their jobs or were forced to take on elementary occupations due to the pandemic.
‘’This is not a dole-out. We researched the deserving beneficiaries. These people are very productive and hard-working. They just happened to be badly hit by the pandemic,’’ Cayetano said, explaining the “Sampung Libong Pag-Asa” initiative of the Balik sa Tamang Serbisyo (BTS) sa Kongreso bloc.
The group had filed the ‘’10K Ayuda Bill’’ last February in a bid to allot P10,000 in direct stimulus per family, or P1,500 per family member, whichever is higher.
On Friday, the House Committee on Appropriations approved the Bayanihan 3.
A total of P216 billion was allotted for the cash assistance provision. However, instead of P10,000 per family, the committee pushed for only P1,000 per individual.
Cayetano maintained that families should receive at least P10,000, saying the P1,000 aid proposed for each family member will not be enough to pay for their expenses and needs.
“Let’s learn from Bayanihan 1 and 2. Bayanihan 1 and 2 were not perfect, but we learned. The more times you make them fall in line, the harder it is for the mayors, the barangay officials, and the police -- it’s chaotic,” he explained.
“When we talk about it on the floor, let’s come up with a practical, very pragmatic, implementable program,” Cayetano insisted.
He quoted one of the beneficiaries as saying that the P10,000 cash aid should be adopted by the House of Representatives.
"Sa mga congressman, sana po 'wag niyo pong ipagdamot ang sampung libo na dapat ay ipamigay sa kapwa Pilipinong naghihirap (To the congressmen, we hope you don't deny us the P10,000 that should be given to fellow Filipinos who are suffering)," one Orolito Brucal said.