Cayetano renews call for ayuda, digital payouts under 2023 budget

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday urged the government's economic team to reconsider the provision of direct cash assistance to pandemic-hit Filipino families under the national budget for 2023, which has now reached plenary deliberations in the Senate.

"Let's study it this year, maybe for [the] 2023 [budget] because in 2024, we might not even need it," Cayetano said in his interpellation during the sponsorship presentation of the proposed budget for the Department of Budget and Management on November 9, 2022.

"My point in giving it now is to address the continuing high prices and threat of the pandemic, ngayon na everyone is suffering from mataas na presyo, kawalan ng trabaho, maliit na kita," he continued.

The Senator argued that direct cash subsidies are simpler and more accessible for all Filipinos compared to the current system where state subsidies are scattered across different agencies and programs.

"We have 200 billion [pesos] in various agencies. Ibig sabihin, may pera. So the question is, how do we get them to the people?" he highlighted.

"Hindi ba natin pinapahirapan ang buhay natin sa gobyerno by putting it in different agencies at ang buhay ng Pilipino na kanya-kanya silang apply sa bawat ahensya? And dami pang requirements, pabalik-balik sila," Cayetano said.

The Senator also stressed that direct subsidies are cheaper for the government as it will remove the administrative costs which eat up around three to eight percent of the overall budget, as confirmed by Finance Committee Chairperson Sen. Sonny Angara.

"If we simply directly help [the people], i-diretso sa LGU at pamilya, nakatipid na tayo sa administrative costs, masisigurado pang hindi doble at lahat mabibigyan at madali nilang makukuha kahit two or three gives," he said.

Cayetano reiterated his call for the development of an e-payout system, saying the use of computer algorithms will reduce "politics" and remove corruption with the help of receipts.

"Let it be as simple as kunan ko ng picture y'ung prescription tapos kung verified naman y'ung app mo, send it to them, then GCash nila y'ung voucher at kahit saang drugstore pwede nang ipambili," he said.

"Part of growing our democracy is empowering our people and one way of doing that is to take away politics by using algorithms. It doesn't look at your political color, whether you are from Luzon, Visayas, or Mindanao, whether you are old or young," he added.

Cayetano has been proposing in the Senate, through the Sampung Libong Pag-asa Bill that he filed in July, the provision of P10,000 in cash aid for every Filipino family amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Rather than put 18 or 19 billion (pesos) in Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), for example, bakit hindi na lang natin ibigay nang diretso na P10,000 bawat pamilya?" he said.

Cayetano muling nanawagan para sa ayuda, digital na payout sa ilalim ng 2023 budget

Muling itinulak ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano sa Senado nitong Miyerkules na magkaroon ng ayuda para sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino sa ilalim ng pambansang budget ng susunod na taon, na sinisimulan nang pagdiskusyunan ngayon ng mga Senador sa plenaryo.

"Let's study it this year, maybe for [the] 2023 [budget] because in 2024, we might not even need it," wika ni Cayetano sa kanyang interpellation nang i-presenta ng Senate Committee on Finance sa plenaryo ang panukalang budget para sa Department of Budget and Management nitong November 9, 2022.

"My point in giving it now is to address the continuing high prices and threat of the pandemic, ngayon na everyone is suffering from mataas na presyo, kawalan ng trabaho, maliit na kita," dagdag niya.

Giit ng Senador, mas simple at mas magiging madali para sa mga Pilipino kung direkta nang ibibigay sa kanila ng gobyerno ang cash assistance imbes na nakakalat ito sa iba't ibang ahensya at mga programa.

"We have 200 billion [pesos] in various agencies. Ibig sabihin, may pera. So the question is, how do we get them to the people?" aniya.

"Hindi ba natin pinapahirapan ang buhay natin sa gobyerno by putting it in different agencies at ang buhay ng Pilipino na kanya-kanya silang apply sa bawat ahensya? And dami pang requirements, pabalik-balik sila," pahayag niya.

Dadag pa ni Cayetano, makakatipid pa ang gobyerno sa ganitong paraan dahil matatanggal ang mga administrative na gastos na karaniwang nasa tatlo hanggang walong porsyento ng nakalaang pondo.

"If we simply directly help [the people], i-diretso sa LGU at pamilya, nakatipid na tayo sa administrative costs, masisigurado pang hindi doble at lahat mabibigyan at madali nilang makukuha kahit two or three gives," aniya.

Muli ring iminungkahi ni Cayetano sa Department of Information and Communications Technology at sa economic team ng pambansang pamahalaan na gumawa ng e-payout system. Aniya, mababawasan ng computer algorithms ang "pamumulitika" at korapsyon na nangyayari sa tradisyunal na bigayan ng ayuda.

"Let it be as simple as kunan ko ng picture y'ung prescription tapos kung verified naman y'ung app mo, send it to them, then GCash nila y'ung voucher at kahit saang drugstore pwede nang ipambili," aniya.

"Part of growing our democracy is empowering our people and one way of doing that is to take away politics by using algorithms. It doesn't look at your political color, whether you are from Luzon, Visayas, or Mindanao, whether you are old or young," dagdag pa niya.

Hulyo pa lang ay ipinapanukala na ni Cayetano sa Senado ang pamimigay ng P10,000 ayuda sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino sa gitna ng COVID-19 pandemic sa pamamagitan ng Sampung Libong Pag-asa Bill.

"Rather than put 18 or 19 billion (pesos) in Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), for example, bakit hindi na lang natin ibigay nang diretso na P10,000 bawat pamilya?" pahayag ni Cayetano sa interpellation.