“OF course, ito ang prayoridad ng administrasyon ngayon ang paghahanap ng mga paraan para maibsan ang paghihirap ng tao lalo na sa mga araw-araw na gastusin”. This is the response of House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, in an interview, when asked what the government is doing to help with the high prices of goods and daily expenses.

“Hindi lang kasi naha-highlight pero halos linggo-linggo namimigay ng mga bigas at cash ang administrasyon sa mga probinsiya at inuuna lang ang mga nasa laylayan ng lipunan,” Speaker Romualdez said.

He added, “maraming programa ang Marcos Administration like mga scholarship sa TESDA, livelihood at business opportunity sa mga gustong magkaroon ng munting negosyo, at cash assistance o AICS ng DSWD na ipinamamahagi sa mga tao.”

“The government is sensitive to the needs of the people kaya laging nag-iisip ang gobyerno kung paano matugunan ang immediate needs ng mga tao,” according to Romualdez.

The congress leader also mentioned that farmers also have aid through cash incentives, when they sell their rice to the government.

He also pointed out that the enactment of the Extended Centenarian Act or giving cash grants of P10,000 to senior citizens aged 80 and every five years, is part of the Marcos administration’s aid to all centenarians and nonagenarians.

“Pumayag na rin ang Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) na taasan na ngayong March ang grocery discounts ng mga senior at PWDs sa P500 kada buwan matapos nating pakiusapan ang DTI”, the lawmaker from Leyte also said.

He added, “and we don’t stop there kasi may ongoing dayalogo kami ng PhilHealth na kung maaari ay sagutin na nila ang kalahati ng hospital bills ng mga miyembro at libre na ang mga x-ray, ultra sound, ECG, mammography at iba pang diagnostic exams”.

Romualdez insisted that the government is also studying to subsidize cheap and good quality rice by importation and selling them through kadiwa registered stalls in markets all over the country.

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