An alleged beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) was caught playing a popular gambling game in the Philippines amid the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) being imposed by the government in Metro Manila.

The video uploader, netizen Joyce Mance who works at the City Government of Biñan, Laguna, confronted an old lady who has caught playing ‘tong-its’ together with her friends, despite the ban of the government in any types of gambling amid the ECQ.

It can be shown that the lady and her friends are not practicing social distancing.

Mance accused the lady of being angry with the government while at the same time she’s also violating the ECQ rules.

The netizen also recognized the lady as a beneficiary of 4Ps and accused her of pawning her ATM card to sustain her gambling needs.

“Galit na Galit kayo sa Gobyerno tapos pag hinuli kayo nagagalit kayo sa Pangulo ng HOA. Grabe ka nman member k ng 4Ps diba tapos sinasanla nyo Atm at ng to TONG ITS ka,” Mance wrote.

It can be seen that the old lady didn’t stop playing her favorite card game while arguing with Mance.

“Wala akong pakialam,” the lady told Mance.

4Ps aims to end poverty in the country, however, some of its beneficiaries like what you saw in the video posted by Mance are not spending the money they received wisely.

Last February, 6 beneficiaries of 4Ps face court charges after they allegedly used the money they received from the government in illegal gambling activities.

Critics of 4Ps urged the government to stop the said program, explaining that it’s only a waste of public funds as some of its beneficiaries are not using their money correctly.

They also said that there’s favoritism happening in 4Ps, believing that some beneficiaries are using their connections and not really belonged to the poorest of the poor families.

Some of them also fear the people like that woman on the video posted by Mance would also receive financial aid from the government as part of its social amelioration program.

However, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles already clarified that 4Ps beneficiaries are not included to the social amelioration aid.

“Noong ginawa ang calculation na 18 million low income families, hindi na po kasama iyong sa 4Ps kasi nabigyan na po ito ng emergency subsidy [bukod pa sa regular 4Ps cash grant]. Hindi na po sila kasama sa bibigyan ng Social Amelioration Card (SAC) ng LGU,” Nograles said.

Members of urban poor organization Kadamay in Negros Occidental asked the government for additional aid from the social amelioration program.

In a live video posted by GMA reporter Adrian Prietos, it showed the members of Kadamay asking the government for additional aid because the 6,000 pesos per month intended by the government for them may not be sufficient for them.

According to pedicab driver Leonilo, the 6,000 pesos aid was not enough for them and it could only feed them for one week to two weeks.

So he suggested to the government to increase the money intended for them to 10,000 pesos.

He also shared that his family was also complaining already because they’re always eating sardines.

The other older women who also interviewed by Prietos also asked the government to have a generous heart and make the financial aid to 10,000 to 12,000 pesos.

They said that 6,000 pesos might not enough for them because it could only afford to buy fish and rice, but they need to buy other things like coffee.

To save money, they said that they’re just going to eat rice with condiments.

One of the women even said that the aid was not enough because some members of their family are still studying.

However, the reporter reminded the woman that the classes are already suspended for the whole period of the enhanced community quarantine.

The people on the viral video received a tremendous amount of criticisms on social media for being not thankful to the government.

“Please enlighten the minds and hearts of people like them Lord….It’s not solely the government who will feed you. Do your part dear people,” netizen Anna Marie Juanites said.

Some netizens also questioned how the people who got interviewed considered themselves as members of the ‘poorest of the poor’ if 6,000 pesos could only feed them for a week or two.

The government is not yet giving a statement if they’re planning to increase the financial aid.

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President Rodrigo Duterte admitted that he’s already losing sleep because of thinking about the current situation of the country amid the COVID-19 crisis.

In his televised address on April 6, Duterte said that he’s thinking about where to get the money to help the people if ever that the crisis continues in the country in the upcoming months.

“Hindi natin gusto ‘yan. Ayaw ko — ayaw kong magkulong ng tao. It gives me nightmares kaya ako pumayat. Kasi ako ‘pag nagising ng gabi, ‘pag umihi ako, hindi ako bumabalik sa kama. Diresto ako sa lounging chair at mag-isip na ako maabutan ako ng daybreak magtingin ako sa labas sa bintana paano ko… Sa akin lahat eh,” Duterte said.

“Maghiram o mag… The 100 billion pesos for one month or the 270 billion pesos for two months ‘yan naka-program na as earlier estimated is not enough. I’m calling on the Secretary of Finance to generate. Magnakaw ka, maghiram ka, wala akong pakialam, i produce mo ‘yung pera kasi ‘pag naubos na ito… Hindi ko malaman,” he added.

According to him, he’s already desperate on trying to solve the problem in the country that forced everyone living in Luzon to stay at home and the businesses to close.

“Ako, desperado na rin. Sabi ko nga nakatutok ako sa bintana makita ko na lang nag lu… May tulog ako? Kanina nagising ako mga three plus. ‘Pagka dalawang beses ako umihi before getting to bed. And once talagang mag-ihi ako isang beses then umaga na,” the President stated.

“Iyong gabi, nagising ako, nakatutok ako sa madilim na langit. Well, it’s a
private thing but nagdadasal ako. Basta nagdasal ako para sa bayan ko. Eh
kasi ‘yung iba, iba ang Diyos nila eh,” he added.

Even Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Wednesday said that the President is having a hard time to get a sleep.

However, they’re confident that the President is in good health.

“Sa totoo lang po nakita naman natin ang itsura niya. He’s actually fit and healthy, but gaya nga ng sinabi niya eh hindi siya makatulog nang wasto sapagkat iniisip niya ang problema ng ating bayan,” Panelo said

“So other than lack of sleep, eh mukha namang okay si Presidente,” he added.

Panelo also assured the public that the 75-year-old chief executive was being protected well from the virus.

President Rodrigo Duterte urged the apartment owners and landlords to stop collecting renting fees to their tenants amid the enhanced community quarantine, telling them that everyone was affected by the crisis.

During his televised address, Duterte explained that landlords cannot force their tenants to pay as they’re jobless and saving their remaining amount of money until the end of the community quarantine.

“Huwag mo muna hingin kasi wala talaga. Whatever na ang nasa kamay ng mga tao ngayon, they are saving it for the rainy days to come.” Duterte said.

Duterte also encouraged the tenants not to let their landlords evict them if they insisted to collect renting fees amid the community quarantine.

“Kung magsabi na i-evict mo ang tao ngayon sa bahay, sabihin ko talaga sayo ‘wag mo sundin ‘yan. Ako nag wa-warning lang ako, pipilitin niyo na hindi makabayad,” the President stated.

“Ngayon kung sundin mo lahat ng batas para makapabor ka under the law, but itong panahon ng COVID at gawin mo ‘yan, magsasalubong tayo. I-evict mo ‘yang tao, personal kong puntahan sabihin ko ibalik mo ‘yang tao, wag mong itapon diyan sa daan,” he added.

He warned them not to force evict their tenants or else he might do something to them that against the law.

“Kung hindi mo naman pala gustong tumulong sa kapwa tao mo, sunugin na lang natin ‘yang mga apartment mo, tutal may bumbero, ‘Wag ganun. ‘Wag ninyong i-pressure. Ayoko magsalita ng ganitong parang holdupper,” Duterte said.

“Wag mong pilitin ang tao, walang pilitan kasi talagang mag-e-enkwentro tayo, hindi ako talaga ako papayag, wag ninyo akong pilitin to go against the law,” he added.

Duterte doesn’t care even if the landlords believe that it’s still their ‘right’ to collect rents amid the community quarantine.

“Do not pressure a poor person just because you have this right. It is not the time for you to pressure other people just because of your right. Sinasabi ko sa inyo mag-e-enkwentro tayo sigurado yan. Itaga niyo sa bato,” he said.

He also said that he would order the police not to cooperate with the landlords if ever they asked for their help to evict their tenants.

Duterte made the said remarks after he received complaints from some netizen that they’re being forced by their landlords to pay their rent despite not earning money because of the community quarantine.

A 4ps beneficiary who recently received the social amelioration package from the government worth 8,000 pesos caught the attention of the netizens because of complaining about the help she got.

In a news report by GMA’s 24 oras, Alma Aquino said that they’re trying to save the money she got from the government as she estimated that 8,000 pesos would only last for one week for their family.

According to her, they’re spending 500 pesos a day for food to feed the 8 members of her family.

“Hindi po, mga one week lang yata,” Aquino when asked if the money she received the government would last until the enhanced community quarantine ends.

4ps beneficiaries like Aquino are receiving 1,900-2,400 a month from the government.

Aquino received criticisms on social media for complaining about what she received from the government and even questioned if she’s really saving.

Most of the critics of Aquino are taxpayers who said that they didn’t receive financial aid from the government.

“Grabe ka ate 8k sweldo ko na po yan 10 po kami sa family pero nagkakasya po sa amin for 15 days syo 1 week lang ano ba yan,” netizen @centinalesHelen said.

Grabe ka ate 8k sweldo ko na po yan 10 po kami sa family pero nagkakasya po sa amin for 15 days syo 1 week lang ano ba yan

— min yonngi72 (@CentinalesHelen) April 7, 2020

“Wow, may na receive na reklamo pa. Kami nga nagbabayad ng tax ni singko wala pa natatanggap eh. Tsk tak tsk. Tao nga naman talaga,” @AdvinculaJenny commented.

@tinapperez wow, may na rcv na reklamo pa. Kami nga nagbabayad ng tax ni singko wala pa natatanggap eh. Tsk tak tsk. Tao nga naman talaga

— Jenny Advincula (@AdvinculaJenny) April 7, 2020

“8k is already enough for us for 1 month. Ano ba ginagastos nila? 1 week? Tsk. Nasanay kasi sa bigay kaya madali lang gumastos para sa kanila,” @love_carballo remarked.

8k is already enough for us for 1 month. Ano ba ginagastos nila? 1 week? Tsk. Nasanay kasi sa bigay kaya madali lang gumastos para sa kanila.

— Love Anna (@Love_Carballo) April 7, 2020

In the current rules of the social amelioration program, only the poorest of the poor are eligible to receive financial aid.

A few days ago, President Rodrigo Duterte backs the suggestion of Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla to include the middle-income families in the social amelioration program of the government.

However, Duterte said that they need more funds to make it happen.

“Marami ang may gusto, I will discuss it when I reach the point raised by Governor [Jonvic] Remulla of Cavite, which I think is valid. I will try to remedy whatever, kung may mapulot pa tayo sa daan,” Duterte said in a televised speech.

“The economy is not moving, standstill so wala tayong kita. Ang ginagamit natin, ito na ‘yung inireserba natin na pera. Ang ipinagyayabang ko na may pera tayo, P300 billion,” he added.

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV made unsolicited advice to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on how the government may implement the social amelioration program to solve several issues.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Trillanes explained that the ‘per family’ distribution of assistance resulted in several problems, citing that the aid received by some beneficiaries are not enough to sustain their needs.

He also mentioned an issue that the LGUs are being forced to select the beneficiaries as the funds being given to them by the government for the social amelioration.

Trillanes explained that to solve those problems, he suggested that the social amelioration package should be given individually instead of family.

The former Senator cited that “SAF should instead be given to all individual Filipino citizens at 2.5k each”, except for the following:

1. All government employees (and spouse).
2. All private-sector employees (and spouse) who are still receiving salaries.
3. All current recipients (and spouse) of different government financial assistance programs (such as 4Ps, TUPAD, etc.).
4. All owners of registered businesses (and spouse).
5. All minors aged 17 yrs and below. They are presumed to be living with either qualified beneficiaries or exempted individuals as stated in #1 to 4 above.

He believes that giving it individually would hasten the process of distributing the aid.

“Based on cursory calculations, if we take out the exemptions, there would be a maximum of about 40M individual beneficiaries under this proposal. At 2.5k each, this would amount to 100bn/month, plus the 20bn/month for the 4Ps and other government programs, the amount would be roughly 120bn/month or 240bn for 2 months. The total amount of 240bn for 2 months would still be below the 275bn fund allocation,” Trillanes said.

He also suggested that barangay halls should be designated as the distribution center for social amelioration.

“At the designated time/day, the beneficiary would proceed to the nearest barangay hall and present any valid ID to the barangay official. The beneficiary need not have the same barangay indicated in the ID since he/she may have decided to spend the quarantine period in the province or another place before the lockdown or is an OFW who just got home, etc. This is convenient for our beneficiaries since the prohibition of PUVs would have made it impossible for them to go back to their original barangays. (Remember, the distribution is done by the national government for all its qualified citizens. The barangay centers are merely being used as distribution centers, so the political boundaries are irrelevant.) The beneficiary may also be reminded that criminal charges may be filed if they are found later on to be among those exempted from receiving the funds,” Trillanes explained.

Trillanes admitted that his proposal is not “perfect or complete” but it might help the LGUs from being forced to select their beneficiaries.

Some Mayors complained that the ‘quota system’ for cash aid being sent by the national government was based on the data that was taken five years ago.
Sen. Win Gatchalian, a former mayor and representative of Valenzuela, complained about the quota system on his Twitter account.

“In our 2015 census, Valenzuela has 155,00 families. I just learned that DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) will give the P8,000 to only 95,000 families in Valenzuela. What will happen to the remaining 60,000 families? What are the qualifications to be included in the 95,000 quota?” Gatchalian said.

A vlogger based in Davao City was saddened on how his friends criticized President Rodrigo Duterte on social media.

Chito Samontina writes his thoughts on his Facebook page, saying that his friends who opposed the government are welcome to criticize the government, but he asked them to be respectful to the chief executive.

He explained that it’s really hard to see that his father figure, President Duterte was being disrespected by his critics.

Samontina also explained that their admiration for the Presidente is not ‘idolatry’, saying that they’re only considering the Duterte’s as their family.

President Duterte became the Mayor of Davao for more than two decades and transformed the said city in one of the richest and safest places in the Philippines.

Even today, the Duterte family dominated the politics in Davao City.

You can read his post below:

“I still have friends who are self-proclaimed dilawans. By friends, I meant in real life. I never unfollowed them because I respect their views.

Criticizing is fine. Totally fine. It’s our right. We all have the right to demand good governance.

However, if you trashtalk the man I always look up to, it hurts.

It hurts knowing that most of you would wait for his speeches only to make fun of him.

It hurts because the man you make fun of is the man I grew up to as a father figure. You will never understand that. Waking up every Sunday with his typical disciplinarian way of talking — you will never understand that.

You will never feel how I felt when I finally faced the man and stared at me and said, “unsa manang naa sa imong dalunggan” (what’s with your ears), pertaining to my ear tunnels. The same reaction when my biological father saw my tattoo. You will never understand that.

Do not call it idolatry.

Because you will never understand how that man changed our lives in Davao City.

If you think Dabawenyos are idolizing him, you’re wrong. We’re like a family here. It is love that he’d shown that made us love him back. It is also called respect. Big respect.

So please, when you call us dutertards by respecting that man, do not mistake it as idolatry.

Furthermore, be respectful when criticizing because it is painful when I see your posts degrading the man I respect. It hurts and that’s why most of us fight back. I’m sorry if we do.

But I hope this time you understand.

You never heard from me personally trashtalking your yellow leaders.

I hope you could do the same.

You see a clown, we see a hard-working erpat.

Big love,

A son of Davao City”

As of writing, Samontina’s post already reached 4,500 shares on social media.

Source: [1]