Pacquiao proposes giving poor families sack of rice instead of P200 monthly ayuda

Senator Manny Pacquiao has recommended that the government provide sacks of rice to poor households instead of a "measly" P200 monthly allowance to help them cope with rising fuel prices.

"'Yung P200 a month, hindi siguro tayo maka-survive roon para sa tatlong araw. Wala na, ubos na 'yon. Maliit masyado 'yung P200 a month para sa ating mga pamilya," the presidential candidate said in a media briefing during his visit to Sultan Kudarat.

(The P200 as a monthly allowance will not even last three days. That would be consumed immediately. P200 a month is too small for our families.)

"Ang suggestion ko siguro, bigyan na lang tag-isang sakong bigas, mas maganda pa kung tag-isang sakong bigas ang ibigay natin," he added.

(My suggestion is to just give poor families a sack of rice every month. It's better if we give them a sack of rice.)

In a statement, Pacquiao said the government should also buy its rice supply from local farmers at a reasonable cost to assist them in their livelihood amid the influx of cheap imported rice, unabated smuggling, and the high cost of production.

“We will be shooting two birds with just one stone if government will choose this option to help the poor. Mabibigyan na natin ng konting ginhawa ang mga mahihirap, matutulungan pa natin ang mga magsasaka sa pagbili ng kanilang mga ani,” he said.

(We will be shooting two birds with just one stone if the government will choose this option to help the poor. We will be able to provide relief to the poor and at the same time help our farmers by buying their produce.)

Pacquiao said President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to allocate at least P33.1 billion to the "bottom 50% of all Filipino households" was in line with his position that the government could address the skyrocketing cost of fuel either by suspending the excise tax on fuel or by providing direct subsidies to the poor. — VBL, GMA News