BENEFICIARIES of the P200 monthly subsidy that President Rodrigo Duterte approved Wednesday, March 16, amid the increasing fuel prices may start receiving the assistance this March, Malacañang said Thursday, March 17.
Acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said in a Dobol B TV interview that those who will receive the cash aid are the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) families.
The Department of Finance (DOF) said Wednesday, March 16, that there are around 12 million households that are at the bottom 50 percent of the population.
Andanar said the monthly P200 subsidy per household will be given as an “unconditional cash transfer” and will last for a year.
"Ito pa ay on top of the 4Ps na ibibigay doon sa ating beneficiaries ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (This is on top of those that 4Ps beneficiaries will receive)," Andanar said.
"That's about 12 million individuals," he added.
Andanar said the distribution may start this month once the fund is downloaded.
"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," he said.
(Once the fund amounting to P33 billion has been downloaded, it will be distributed. The target is this month.)
Andanar assured that there is already a fund for the subsidy.
“Meron na pong pondo dito kaya nga po ay very conservative ‘yung ating economic cluster sa pagbigay nito kailangan ay sigurado ho talaga na meron tayong pondo,” he added.
(We already have funds for this, that is why the economic cluster is very conservative in giving it because we have to make sure that the funds are available.)
Andanar said during a press briefing Wednesday that the Department of Social Welfare and Development or the local government units will be the one to facilitate the distribution of the subsidy.
“They have a masterlist used for SAP (Social Amelioration Program) distribution,” he said.
Asked on whether people in the middle-class can also receive the subsidy, Andanar said: “Unawain po natin na hindi lahat ay mabibigyan. Unahin po muna natin yung most vulnerable sector at ang mas vulnerable ay yung mahihirap nating kababayan and minimum wage earners.”
(Let’s understand that not all will receive the assistance. Let’s prioritize first the most vulnerable sector, the poor families and minimum wage earners.)
READ: Senators: P200 per month subsidy ‘too small’
Duterte approved on Wednesday the provision of P200 monthly allowance to poor households to help alleviate the impact of high fuel prices.
The P200 monthly subsidy was proposed as an alternative to calls from different groups to suspend the excise tax on fuel products.
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez admitted Wednesday, March 16, that the P200 subsidy is not enough, but stressed that this is what the government can afford to provide as of this time.