President Duterte Increases Monthly "Ayuda" From Php 200 to Php 500

From Php 200, Presidente Duterte raises monthly “ayuda” to Php 500 because Php 200 is “too small”.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE – Amid the continuous oil spike, President Duterte orders the monthly subsidy to be raised to Php 500.00 for poor households.

Amid the continuous rise in fuel prices, in lieu of suspending excise tax, the proposal of the Department of Finance (DOF) to give poor households a Php 200.00 monthly subsidy has been approved. President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the proposal to help poor families where they will be receiving Php 200.00 per month per household for a year.

For the past weeks, the fuel prices have consistently risen up affecting a lot of people, especially the poor ones. And the monthly subsidy, although not enough, is accordingly what they can afford for now to at least help the people. And seeing the said amount as too little, the president decided to give it a raise – from Php 200.00 to Php 500.00.

Duterte ordered the DOF to do this because the prior amount was accordingly “too small” and “cannot sustain” even a family of three. He said this to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, “That is too small for one month. Kaya sabi ko talaga sa kanya, humanap ka ng pera… kasi masyadong mababa iyan.”

The finance secretary already agreed to this but he stressed that there will be a problem with the budget in six months’ time if this would be done. But the president jested that it would not be his problem anymore because a couple of months from now, he will be replaced and that problem would have to be faced and solved by the next president.

“I hope that this (P500) would go a long way, really, to help. ‘Wag lang sayangin sa e-sabong,” he added as he expressed hope that people be using the money for necessary things and not on gambling such as he mentioned based on the report of Manila Bulletin.