FOR now, the National Government can only afford to distribute additional P500 cash aid to the poorest of the poor families in the country for three months, Department of Budget Management (DBM) officer-in-charge Tina Canda said on Wednesday, March 23, 2022.Canda agreed to the statement of Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Carlos Dominguez III that the country will be in trouble six months after the distribution of additional ayuda.”Totoo naman ‘yan, kasi si Secretary Dominguez ang in-charge sa pagpapakalat ng pananalapi para dito sa ating programa, Kaya sa P500 na yan, ang kaya pa lang at this point is probably mga tatlong buwan, siguro sa excess revenues na makokolekta ng DOF,” she said during a Laging Handa public briefing.Canda earlier said the government eyes to provide additional financial aid to P13 million individuals starting in April.She said the funds will be sourced from the excess revenue.President Rodrigo Duterte initially ordered the distribution of P200 additional monthly ayuda to the poorest of the poor families amid the series of oil price hikes brought about by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.On Monday, March 21, he increased it to P500, saying P200 will not suffice to sustain the families’ basic necessities. (SunStar Philippines)