Poe: List of subsidy recipients under TRAIN law out by end June

Senator Grace Poe announced on Friday that the list of families that would benefit from subsidies provided for under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law will be made public this month.

“Ngayong Hunyo ay ilalabas na po nila ang kanilang listahan kung sino pa ang makakatanggap, at sa lalong madaling panahon ay ipapamigay na nila ang tulong na iyon,” Poe, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Services, said in an interview with Bombo Radyo Cagayan de Oro on Friday morning.

Poe earlier sent separate letters to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello, Social Welfare Secretary Virginia Orogo, and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Martin Delgra III, requesting for the immediate implementation of the mechanism to cushion the effects of the tax reform law.

READ: Poe: Without gov’t subsidies, TRAIN does more harm to poor people

The lawmaker said she is “happy” that the agency heads responded accordingly to her request.

“Masaya naman ako na sila ay nakinig sa atin pagkatapos ng sulat ko sa kanila. Kasi alam ninyo, alam naman natin na noong mga nakaraang araw ay talagang nagtaas ang presyo ng mga bilihin pati na rin ang gasolina,” Poe explained.

“Maraming mga kababayan natin ang umaray dito, pati na sa presyo ng bigas,” she said.

When asked what specific aids would be given to the poor families, she mentioned, anong others, the vouchers for drivers and operators of public vehicles as well as the inclusion of another four million families in the government’s unconditional cash transfer (UCT) program.

“Kaya nga sabi ko, nasaan na ang tulong na kaakibat nitong tax na ito? Ang ibig sabihin niyan, ‘yung mga vouchers na ibibigay sa mga operator ng public utility jeep, ‘yung mga tulong para sa pagtaas ng gasolina, ang pagdagdag ng apat na milyong pamilya pa sa unconditional cash transfer program ng gobyerno,” Poe said.

Grievance hearing

In line with the efforts of the committee to address issues involving the Train law, the senator said that another hearing possibly be held in Cagayan de Oro.

“Itong darating na Hulyo, bago siguro magbukas ang Senado, ay magkakaroon ako ng hearing sa Cagayan de Oro para sa ating mga kababayan [tungkol sa epekto ng TRAIN Law sa pangunahing bilihin], Poe said.

The hearing will be the third outside the capital, with previous discussions done in Iloilo City in Western Visayas and Legazpi City in Albay.

“Ang mga driver at mga beneficiary galing sa iba’t-ibang parte ng Mindanao ay hindi na kailangang pumunta ng Manila at d’yan na tayo magkakaroon ng hearing para marinig naman natin ang daing nila,” she said.

“Ang importante ay ang pagtulong sa ating mga kababayan ngayon,” she added.   /kga