By Hannah Torregoza  Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday urged the government to provide a modest P30,000 cash assistance to families affected by the Taal volcano eruption, amid the Duterte administration’s plan to pursue the passage of a P30 billion supplemental budget. Sen. Risa Hontiveros (Senator Risa Hontiveros / Facebook / File Photo / MANILA BULLETIN) Hontiveros said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) should mobilize funds for the Emergency Cash Transfer and Emergency Shelter Assistance to help residents of Batangas and Cavite who lost their houses and livelihood as a result of the eruption. “Hindi pautang kundi tulong mismo. Huwag na nating ibaon pa sa utang ang mga kababayan nating naging biktima (They need help, not loans. Let’s not put the victims in deeper debt),” she said. Hontiveros said the cash aid can be spent on the daily subsistence of families inside and outside of evacuation centers. “Pwede nang aksyunan ng Pangulo ang para sa cash grants. Gamitin na ang pwedeng gamitin sa current budget (The President can immediately take action for cash grants. The available funds from the current budget should now be used),” she said. “Kailangang mag-realign ang mga department secretaries para gawin ito at pupunuin o ibabalik na lang sa pamamagitan ng supplemental budget (the department secretaries can realign some funds, then they can reimburse the money through the supplemental budget).” She said it is important that the P30,000 direct cash assistance for the families be specifically earmarked under the supplemental budget to ensure its availability. "Hindi ito sapat, pero paunang tulong ito habang inaantay natin ang post-disaster assessment, planning, at budgeting ng gobyerno (This is not sufficient but this is an initial help we can give while we are waiting for the government’s post-disaster assessment, planning, and budgeting),” she said. “Sa cash aid, binabalik natin sa mga pamilya ang makapag-desisyon para sa sarili nila,(With the cash aid, we are giving the families the right to make decisions for themselves).” READ MORE: Duterte asks Congress to expedite P30 billion aid to Taal Volcano victims