Tap ₧2-B intel fund for inflation relief, labor alliance urges PBBM
ALABOR group on Thursday urged President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to tap his over P2-billion intelligence funds to provide relief to people who are now reeling from the effects of high inflation.
Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro) Secretary General Joshua T. Mata gave the proposal after Marcos said onwednesday his administration is now looking for additional funding to continue the government’s free train ride program.
“All Marcos Jr. needs to do is to direct DBM (Department of Budget and Management) to realign whatever fund they can, including his vast intelligence fund, then later use their supermajority status in congress to enact a supplemental budget if needed,” Mata told
Businessmirror via SMS.
Under the 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the Office of the President has P2.25 billion in intelligence funds.
Marcos wants to continue the free train ride program, but owing to funding constraints, it will be limited to students.
The Department of Finance (DOF) said Marcos will also continue providing fuel subsidies to public transportation using the windfall tax from fuel.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) attributed to rising food and fuel prices the June acceleration of the inflation rate to 6.1 percent—the highest since November 2018.
Sentro said the free rides as fuel subsidies and service contracting provided by the government can help mitigate the impact of inf lation on many Filipinos when it comes to their transportation needs.
As for the rising food prices, the labor group backs government’s plan to increase importation of pork to ensure sufficient supply of the food item.
This, as the African Swine Fever (ASF) continues to devastate local hog raisers, reducing the country’s pork production.
Sentro expressed its dismay at the apparent slow pace of the government’s interventions to address the effects of inflation.
“The [public] broad discontent comes from the fact that not only did it sound out of touch with the pressing struggles of many working families, it also reflected the general lack of comprehensive action taken by the government in the past few months,” Sentro said in a statement.
“In moments of crisis, we expect our elected leaders to both display empathy and offer concrete solutions to our pressing problems,” it added.