Pacquiao: P5K monthly budget for food not enough for family of 4

Presidential candidate and Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday said a budget of P5,000 for food in a month will not be enough for families earning at a minimum wage.

Pacquiao made the statement as he visited the Balintawak and Farmers markets in Quezon City during the day to check on the current prices of goods and to examine whether the minimum wage salary would sustain a family's needs.

"Sa tingin ko mukhang mahihirapan ang isang pamilya sa isang buwan na pagkasyahin 'yung income nila. Sa presyo ng mga bilihin ngayon mahihirapan sila maka-survive sa isang buwan kung walang ibang source of income," Pacquiao continued.

(I think a family of a minimum wage earner would have a hard time budgeting the monthly salary with the current price of goods without other source of income.)

"Ang binudget ko P5,000 plus, naubos 'yon. May natira pang P2. Pero kung isang buwan na pagkain, siguro mahirapan ang pamilya kung dalawa ang anak, tapos apat silang kakain. Sa totoong presyo may tawad pa yan," he added.

(I alloted P5,000 when I made the purchases today, only P2 was left. But for a month worth of food, that would not be enough for a family of four.)

"Itong ginawa ko, volume nga ito eh pang-isang buwan pero hindi kasya ito. Paano pa kaya 'yung tingi-tingi na pagbili nila? Lalo talagang mahihirapan ang pamilya," he further said.

(I bought the food supplies in bulk but this would not last a month. It would be more costly if they will buy it in small quantities. The family would really have a hard time budgeting.)

Pacquiao thus proposed decreasing the taxes being paid by Filipino workers to maximize the value of their salary.

He pointed out that the government still has other sources of income, including the non-tax revenues from the government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and public utilities.

Further, the government should focus on its production-distribution-consumption (PDC) so that there will be no shortage of supply of goods.

Pacquiao said he will also push for the across the board salary standardization  for Metro Manila and other provinces.

Government expenses increased due to elections

At a media briefing, Pacquiao pointed out that the government's budget for 2022 increased to P5 trillion, as compared to P4.5 trillion last year.

The country, however, earned P2.9 trillion in revenue income.

But this year, the government's revenue income is at P2.7 trillion but its expenses further increased.

"Nagtaka nga ako, sabi ko, dahil ba ito sa eleksyon? Mismanaged talaga (I wondered, I said, is it because of the elections? It is really mismanaged)," Pacquiao said.

"Merong mga parking project. May requested projects... Alam mo naman ang kalakaran diyan sa gobyerno (There are parking projects, requested projects. You know how it is with the government)," he added.

Duterte as consultant

Pacquiao said he is open to making President Rodrigo Duterte a consultant if he wins in the May polls

"Ako naman, tinatanggap ko 'yung advices na magaganda (I accept sound advices)," he said.

He further said he is not worried despite not getting an endorsement from Duterte.

"Ako kasi, para sa tama tayo. Doon tayo sa tama (I am for what is right. We should focus on what is right)."

Pacquiao, who is from General Santos City, said he is confident he will get the votes of his fellow Mindanaoans.

"Kumpiyansa pa rin ako (I am confident)," he said.—AOL, GMA News