Cayetano, allies seek additional cash aid for COVID-hit families, other beneficiaries

Former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and his allies have filed a measure seeking to grant additional cash assistance to families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In House Bill 8697, Cayetano and six other lawmakers proposed to create the Bangon Pamilyang Pilipino (BPP) Assistance Program, which will provide beneficiaries with P1,500 cash assistance per family member or P10,000 per household, whichever is higher.

“This bill ensures that each and every Filipino is given additional assistance, in recognition that we all have been affected by the pandemic, economic setbacks, and all the hardships brought about in the year 2020,” the authors said in the bill's explanatory note.

Priority beneficiaries of the program are senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, displaced workers, medical frontliners, families of overseas Filipino workers, individuals who were not able to receive assistance through the Social Amelioration Program, Philippine National ID holders, and members of vulnerable groups.

The measure is seen to boost household consumption which could drive the economy up after the country suffered its worst economic contraction since World War II.

“Although Filipinos are known for their grit and resilience, assistance to our countrymen is still needed to help them survive and get back on their feet,” the lawmakers said.

“Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures to boost both the economy and the lives of the Filipino people,” they added.

Cayetano earlier said continuous financial aid will help consumers and suppliers as well as improve economic performance.

"Yung P10,000 per family, parang kukuha ka sa kaliwang bulsa, babalik din sa kanan, dahil iikot din ‘yon sa ating ekonomiya,” he said.

Apart from Cayetano, other authors of the measure are Taguig Representative Lani Cayetano, Camarines Sur Representative Luis Raymund Villafuerte, Jr., Batangas Representative Raneo Abu, Laguna Representative Dan Fernandez, Bulacan Representative Jonathan Sy-Alvarado, and Anakalusugan party-list Representative Mike Defensor. —KBK, GMA News