Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno on Tuesday said that the Marcos Administration will be doling out P500 for 2 months to some 9.3 million households, in a bid to help them cope up with the rising inflation.

He said that the recipients are those under the targeted cash transfer program.

“Napakaimportante din na since mataas ang inflation, ipagpatuloy natin ang mga ayuda na binibigay natin sa mga kailangan,” he said.

According to Diokno, they were able to identify the sourcing of the funds and it will be released “in a few days or weeks.”

He added that the 9.3 million beneficiaries, are coming from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

He also narrated that the government will be handing out P26.6 billion of the continued provision of subsidies for the vulnerable sector.

Among these include the expansion of the “Kadiwa” program, fuel discounts, and fuel subsidy to the transport sector.

It was also stated that the government will be providing P13.3 billion for fertilizer discounts, to which P1 billion is earmarked for the fuel discount to farmers and fisherfolk.

Also, some P3 billion will be given to the transport sector as fuel subsidy.

Inflation slightly slowed down in February to 8.6 percent from 8.7 percent in January, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority

This is due to the recent slower movement of transport-related prices including gasoline, diesel and motorcycles.

Catherine R. Cueto