Beneficiaries may start receiving P200 'ayuda' this month, says Palace

Beneficiaries may start receiving the P200 monthly subsidy from the government starting this month, Malacañang said Thursday.

Interviewed on Dobol B TV, acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said the beneficiaries are those already receiving government subsidy under its Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps.

"That's about 12 million individuals," he said.

Under the 4Ps program, a household may receive from P1,400 to P3,000 every month as health and education grants depending on the number of children it has and provided that the household meets the conditions set by the government.

The monthly P200 subsidy — to be given as an "unconditional" cash transfer, according to Andanar — will last for a year.

"Ito pa ay on top of the 4Ps na ibibigay doon sa ating beneficiaries ng  Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program," Andanar said.

Asked on when the distribution will start, Andanar said, "Once na ma-download yung pera na nagkakahalaga ng P33 billion ay ibibigay na po talaga at ang target po ay this month masimulan na."

(Once the fund amounting to P33 billion has been downloaded, it will be distributed. The target is this month.)

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday approved the provision of P200 monthly allowance to poor households for an entire year to ease the impact of fuel price hikes.

The P200 monthly subsidy was proposed by the Department of Finance (DOF) as an alternative to proposals to suspend excise tax in fuel products.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez has admitted that the amount might not be enough but pointed out that this is what the government can afford to provide as of this time.

"It's what we can afford as of today," Andanar said, quoting Dominguez.

"Kung ano lang ang kaya ng kaban ng bayan, yun lang ang maibibigay natin kasi kung susobra naman tayo dun ay mangungutang na naman tayo (The government can only give what it can afford, otherwise it has to take loans again)," he added, defending the amount from criticisms that it is too small. —KBK, GMA News