Philippines – Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has stirred fresh debate after claiming that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. rejected his proposal to hand out P10,000 in aid to Filipinos still recovering from the pandemic.
According to a news report from GMA News, Cayetano made the claim in a Facebook livestream on Friday, July 17, 2026. He said he first pushed the idea in 2021, heading into 2022, believing the national budget could easily cover it. But once Marcos won the presidency, the senator said, the plan lost support.
What the Bill Was About
Cayetano filed the measure in July 2022 under the name Sampung Libong Pag-asa Law, also known as Senate Bill 62. Senate records show the bill stayed stuck at the committee level and never advanced before the 19th Congress ended in June 2025.
The senator argued the funding was always within reach. He pointed to the yearly budget for financial aid, which he said ranges from P200 billion to P400 billion.
“Kaya pong bigyan ng 10K,” he said, stressing that the amount was doable.
Malacañang Pushes Back
The Palace wasted no time answering. Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro dismissed Cayetano’s statements as baseless and accused him of shifting blame.
She said the senator was inventing stories to cover for his own shortcomings, and that the government would present evidence to counter what she called his false claims.
The Expanded UPLIFT Program
Cayetano’s video came shortly after Marcos announced an expansion of the United Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) program. The initiative supports low-income Filipinos hit hard by rising fuel prices tied to the Middle East conflict.
The senator questioned the timing, hinting that funds could have reached families much sooner.
Who Gets the Aid
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) confirmed that cash distribution begins Monday. The support is split into three groups:
- Group 1 – 4Ps and Walang Gutom Program members, covering 3.5 million households, will receive a one-time top-up of up to P2,000.
- Group 2 – “near-poor” households slightly above the poverty line, totaling 2.5 million households.
- Group 3 – SSS members earning a monthly salary credit of P20,000 and below, covering 1.5 million households.
Groups 2 and 3 are set to receive P2,000 monthly for six months, running until December 2026 — a total of P12,000 each.
For Filipino families abroad watching over loved ones back home, these updates matter. Knowing who qualifies and when help arrives can make a real difference for households still working toward stronger financial footing.