There is money that can accommodate ‘Ayudang Sapat Para Sa Lahat’, the labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) insists in reaction to President Rodrigo Duterte’s public address Monday night.
“Hindi ko alam kung saan ako kukuha ng pera. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang ipagbili na kung may magbibili,” Duterte told the nation in a televised address.
But for Partido Manggagawa, the image of being penniless, if that is what the President would like to impress upon our people, should not be taken lightly as it can be used to justify delays and inequity in dispensing cash aid, or even bankruptcy during this period of emergency.
”Siya (Duterte) nga ang nagsabi noong una na may pera tayo. Siya ang pumirma para maging batas ang P4.1 trilyon 2020 budget. At siya rin ang humingi ng emergency power sa Kongreso para sa magalaw ang badyet na ito. Ibig sabihin, hindi kawalan ng pondo kundi tama at mabilis na paggamit nito ang usapin ngayon,” stated PM Chair Renato Magtubo.
The group maintained that the 2020 budget can even accommodate a more universal rather than targeted system of dispensing cash aid as the allotted P200B for social amelioration cards (SAC) is but a little fraction (4.87%) of the P4.1 trillion budget.
“Kung maitatama lamang ang paggamit sa 2020 budget ay kayang punuan maging ang ekstensyon ng subsidy lagpas sa panahon ng lockdown para naman sa recovery ng mga tao at ng buong ekonomiya,” said Magtubo.
The group argued further that except for automatic items in the budget that cannot be realigned such as personal services, retirement benefits, internal allotment for LGUs and other essential projects, the bigger part of the budget should be re-worked or overhauled in favor of Covid-19 healing and recovery programs.
“BBB projects and those funded by pork barrels are better discontinued and shifted toward the most pressing needs at this point in time and beyond, while debt servicing can take a back seat until the country and whole world recover,” said Magtubo.
Partido Manggagawa is with Nagkaisa! labor coalition in pressing for the universalization of dispensing social subsidy. The coalition has earlier called for P10,000 quarantine subsidy.
07 April 2020
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