Alan Peter Cayetano claims Marcos rejected P10K aid after 2022 election win

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano claimed that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. rejected his proposal to distribute P10,000 in aid to qualified beneficiaries recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic after winning the 2022 presidential election.

Filed in July 2022, Cayetano’s proposed Sampung Libong Pag-asa Law or Senate Bill 62, remained pending at the committee level when the 19th Congress ended in June 2025, according to Senate records.

"So noong 2021, going into 2022, sabi ko marami pang hindi nakaka-recover, so kaya ng ating budget magbigay. Pero pagkapanalo ni President Marcos, ayaw niya," Cayetano said in a Facebook livestream posted on Friday, July 17, 2026.

(So, in 2021—heading into 2022—I said that many still hadn't recovered, so our budget could afford to provide assistance. But after President Marcos won, he didn't want to.)

"Pero every single year po tinatanong ko 'yun sa aming Chairman of Finance, 200 to 300, minsan 400 billion ang ayuda. So kaya. Kaya pong bigyan ng 10K," he added.

(But every single year, I ask our Chairman of Finance about it—the financial aid ranges from 200 to 300, sometimes P400 billion. So, it is feasible. It is possible to provide P10,000.)

Malacañang dismissed Cayetano’s claims as baseless.

"Bakit hindi kaya makapagpigil sa sarili si Senator Alan Cayetano sa paggawa ng intriga at mga kwentong walang basehan? Imbis na ituro ang sarili sa kanyang kapabayaan sa pagtatrabaho, magtuturo siya ng iba masagip lang ang sarili sa kahihiyan," Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a statement.

(Why can’t Senator Alan Cayetano stop himself from making intrigues and stories without basis? Instead of taking responsibility for his own shortcomings in performing his duties, he points fingers at others just to save himself from embarrassment.)

Castro said that they would present evidence to refute what she described as the senator’s false claims.

"Ang trabaho niya na di niya magampanan ay ipapasa sa iba. Ebidensya ang ibibigay namin panlaban sa mga kasinungalingan ni Senator Alan," she added.

(The responsibilities he failed to fulfill are being passed on to others. We will present evidence to counter Senator Alan's lies.)

Cayetano posted his video after Marcos announced on Thursday that the government has expanded the United Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) program, which provides financial assistance to indigent Filipinos affected by rising fuel prices due to the Middle East conflict.

"Pero the past two days, sobra po 'yung mga — ganda ng amounts na ina-announce. So sabi sa akin, 'Sir, may 12k pa, so kaya pala 'yung 10k.' Bakit ngayon lang 2026? Alam na 'yung sagot. O ano 'yung sagot? Eh nanakawin muna 'yung daan-daang bilyon bago kayo bigyan, 'di ba?" Cayetano said.

(But the past two days, there have been so many — beautiful amounts being announced. So they told me, 'Sir, there's still 12k, so that's why it's 10k.' Why only now, 2026? We already know the answer. Or what's the answer? Well, they stole hundreds of billions before giving them to you, right?)

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), meanwhile, said that the distribution of cash aid the expanded UPLIFT program will begin on Monday.

Beneficiary categories:

Group 1 beneficiaries refer to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the Walang Gutom Program members who will receive a one-time additional assistance of up to P2,000. They comprise 3.5 million households.

Group 2 beneficiaries are poor households that are not 4Ps members, and refer to 'near-poor' households that are just slightly above or 25% above the poverty line. They comprise 2.5 million households.

Group 3 beneficiaries, meanwhile, are SSS members whose monthly salary credit is P20,000 and below. They comprise 1.5 million households.

DSWD said that Groups 2 and 3 beneficiaries are set to receive P2,000 in the next six months, or until December 2026, totaling P12,000. —BAP/VAL/VBL, GMA News