Sotto against reducing P5k to P8k cash aid, insists gov't has funds

The amount of the monthly emergency subsidy for families affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation should not be reduced in a bid to cover more beneficiaries, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on Monday.

"Bakit ibaba eh kung kaya 'yun P6,000 and P8,000? Ang liit na nga nung P6,000 and P8,000 ah?" Sotto said in a message to reporters after being sought for his thoughts on such proposals.

Under Section 4(c) of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, Duterte was given the authority to provide a minimum of P5,000 to a maximum of P8,000 monthly subsidy to around 18 million low-income households nationwide for two months.

"Huwag nilang ipilit na walang pera gobyerno. Meron! Ilang beses nang sinabi 'yan ni PRRD (President Rodrigo Duterte). During the time we were passing the law, sa GOCCs pa lang almost P200 billion na. May savings pa last year and other sources mentioned by DBM," Sotto said.

President Rodrigo Duterte, however, said last week that the initially identified P275 billion for COVID-19 response and relief efforts will not be enough.

Ordered to look for more budget sources, the Department of Finance said that it plans to raise $23 billion or P1.17 trillion to fuel the country's fight against COVID-19 and address its underlying impact on the economy.

As of April 9, it was reported that the gov't has so far identified a total of P568.463 billion from unreleased appropriations from both 2020 General Appropriations Act and continuing appropriations under last year’s budget; collection from GOCCs; and from a repurchase agreement with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Asked if local government leaders would be allowed to use the P30.8 billion "Bayanihan Grant to Cities and Municipalities" to augment the cash aid for their affected constituents, Sotto said: "In these times of emergencies, pwede lahat. Rules are relaxed. I specifically told DBM Secretary to ask COA (Commission on Audit) to relax the rules. Buhay muna bago pera. 'Yun pera kikitain uli, 'yun buhay hindi na!"

"In our teleconference last week, within earshot of the other senators, I told the executive department to throw the rules out the window to save the lives of the Filipinos. Ang LGU na maiiwan dito ay 'yung hindi marunong magremedyo," he added.

The grant is worth the LGUs' respective one-month Internal Revenue Allotment or share of revenues from the national government.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año earlier said the said funds should be used solely for programs on COVID-19 such as relief goods for low-income and vulnerable households; procurement of personal protective equipment for frontline service providers, medicines and vitamins, hospital equipment and supplies; disinfectants and related equipment; and tents for temporary shelter of the homeless, among others. —LDF, GMA News