AT LEAST three senators stressed that the P200 per month cash assistance to poor families amid the continuous oil price hike is not enough to help them during this crisis.

Senator Grace Poe said the P200 per month cash assistance to poor families is a pittance.

“At P6.66 per day, it can’t even get one a jeepney ride to the minimum distance. Our people deserve more amid the battering of the high cost of living, joblessness and continuing impact of the pandemic,” Poe said.

The lady senator added that the government must not scrimp on aid to help our people feed their families, live decently, return to work safely and spur economic activity.

“We hope that proposals to suspend fuel tax will be given serious thought to bring prices down. Or increase the P200 per month cash aid which is not enough to see our people through these hard times,” she added.

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto stressed that the decision is purely the decision of the executive.

“They are the executives, they call the shots. We can only suggest,” he said.

At the same time, Senator Panfilo Lacson urged the government to at least study their proposal to temporarily suspend the implementation of excise tax on fuel, instead of rejecting it.

Lacson said they are proposing for the temporary suspension and not to permanently stop the collection.

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate said P200 per month or P1.33 per day assistance is an insult to the Filipinos as it is extremely callous to the sorry plight of the Filipino people now battered even more due to incredibly high prices of oil products and other basic goods.

The progressive solon challenged the economic managers of the Duterte administration to try living on minimum wage plus their P1.33/daily aid.

He reiterated that the suspension of excise tax for fuel products should be enforced as one way to lessen the price and also to lessen the burden of the people. With Jester Manalastas

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