A labor NGO welcomed today President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s announcement of another package of financial assistance for the poorest families amidst the recent round of oil price increases, but cautioned that the aid will only provide little relief, and not a solution to the cost of living crisis.

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) said that the president’s announcement of expanding the United Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) program to cover 7.5 million households or 37.5 million Filipinos, while welcome, is not enough.

“This move will enable workers and poor Filipinos to breathe a sigh of relief amidst the high oil prices and related problems and the cost of living crisis. It is a recognition of the problem but is definitely not the solution. The government could and should do better,” said Kamz Deligente, CTUHR executive director.

CTUHR called on the government to ensure that the funds released for the assistance will really go to the shrinking grocery and transportation budgets of workers and poor Filipinos and will not be pocketed by politicians in preparation for the 2028 national elections.

“Corruption and the lack of accountability of corrupt government officials remain important issues in the country. We hope that transparent mechanisms are in place to ensure that the budget allocated for this relief will really go to the intended beneficiaries,” Deligente added.

CTUHR expressed fears that the P2,000 monthly assistance from July to December for 1.5 million low-income workers whose records are verified by the Social Security System or SSS may not reach contractual workers, whose premium contributions are often not remitted.

“Contractual workers belong to the poorest section of the country’s workers. We hope that the government will find a way to ensure that they will actually receive this much-needed assistance,” stated Deligente.

Deligente said the government should look beyond providing the one-off P2,000 assistance to the 3.5 million beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino and the Walang Gutom programs and assistance to the 2.5 million poorest households that were identified through the 2024 Community-Based Monitoring System.

“Providing assistance to the country’s poorest workers is an admission that the current minimum wage is not enough to meet their basic needs. The government should re-examine proposals to significantly increase the minimum wage and look into providing decent work to Filipinos through a pro-people industrialization program,” Deligente stated.

CTUHR said that the shocks to the global economy that were caused by the actions of US President Donald Trump are just the latest proof that the country should find a way to stand on its feet and not depend on foreign investors and the foreign market to provide decent jobs and lives to Filipinos.