Ayuda for a Year: The 200 pesos monthly allowance for poor families

I helped my father building the chicken's houses yesterday. It was 9 feet tall and 6 feet wide. He intentionally made it because since our chickens are growing in number today due to fast production. We cannot allow our chickens to go out wild becasue we are in a subdivision. Our neighbours might complain about the mess of our chicken manures. That would be a problem if ever happen.

We had a Friday general cleaning too. We cleaned the entire house because my mother initiated it. She said that there are already a lot of cow webs found in the house especially in our rooms and sala. Some corner of the house has an evidence of cow webs. She doesn't like it at all. We defrost our refrigerator because the ice is too thick already. Surprisingly, the sides of our refrigerator has too many dirts and I inhale some of it. Currently, I have allergic rhinitis and it happened every few hours. Thus, I have runny nose as well which one of the sickness I hate the most.

The Philippine government and and its bills to pass

For the government to pass a bill and signature by the president is a good thing. However, what's surprise me is how helpful and wasteful are those bills. Are they really intended to help the mass or just a sugar-coated bills to make a certain politician's name to view as a good. To my surprised, I was curious and dig in deeper about the problems our country is facing.

I do not know if you are aware of the wage increase proposed by Senator Sotto for the National Capital Region (NCR). Thus, if you are living in Cavite, you are aware about the current proposal of Vice Governor Revilla to increase the minimum wage rate. In addition, I cannot believe that Department of Finance (DOF) proposed the ₱200 ($4) monthly allowance for poor families which approved later on by President Duterte.

There are many ongoing bills to pass in the Senate of the Philippines (18th Congress). Here are some of few list:

1. Revised Higher Education Act of 2022. Filed by Joel Villanueva, Sony Angara, Pia Hontiveros.

2. August 12 of every year as National Youth Day. Filed by Ramon Revilla Jr, Sony Angara.

3. Young Farmers and Fisherfolk Challenge Program. Filed by Imee Marcos, Sony Angara, Ramon Revilla Jr, Kiko Pangilinan.

4. Bawat Pamilya May College Gradweyt Program Act. Filed by Kiko Pangilinan.

The ₱200 ($4) monthly allowance

On March 16, Wednesday, the Malacañang Palace announced that President Rodrigo Duterte approved the ₱200 subsidy to all poor families under 50% of the total population. The subsidy will last for a year and there is no concrete date when the subsidy distribution will start. This was properly proposed by the Department of Finance (DOF). The main purpose is to ease the 11 weeks successive prike hikes of gas which affects the entire market prices.

The source budget will come from the Value-Addes Tax (VAT) due to its higher collection and higher prices of gas. The proposed budget allowance for subsidy amount to ₱33.1 billion ($629. 7 million). However, some senators do not think that it will be sufficient. Senator Grace Poe said that it is just a pittance to fellow Filipinos to received the subsidy.

Filipino views, opinions and reactions

Personally, the 200 pesos is far from enough to support and ease the price hikes of gas. I can just spend that money for 4 kilos of rice and we will consume it for less than two days. I do not know if DOF really inspect and thoroughly examine the situation both the market and fellow Filipinos. To give subsidy is okay, but the amount they will give is not okay.

I read some of the comments on Facebook and I'm not surprised from what they said. Some says that the money only be consume for a day which another subsidy distribution is next month. Some says that we have to work and not to depend our lives to what we received from the government. Some says that we should be thankful enough to received the subsidy even though it will not be sufficient.

Honestly, I do not get it. It is not clear about the subsidy distribution. My question is the ₱200 per family or ₱200 every member of the family? Because they said that the monthly allowance is for poor families only. Well, I think we just have to be thankful for what we received. Blessing is still a blessing from Above.

Celebrity news

I just found out that our canditate for Ms. World finishes Top 13. She is Tracy Maureen Perez from Cebu. I am not a pageant fans but I was hooked in her Beauty with the Purpose program which named Para Kay Nanay (For my Mother). She talked about how independent and single mothers raised their children in a very hard work. Her mother died, and was a single mother too. She offered the program to every single mothers in the community especially in Cebu. One of the highlight of her performance is her National Costume. It's very festive and colorful. In addition, she wants to give single mothers a job specifically in BPOs to support their children. Again, congratulations Tracy!

Thank you for reading!