“Solutions are what’s needed, not just handing out dole-outs to the people!” This was the firm call of the Kabataan Partylist group regarding the administration’s approach of directly handing out temporary aid whenever a problem arises in the country.
Condemning this practice, Florence Guzon, Vice President for Visayas of the Kabataan Partylist, lamented that the 2025 National Budget has instead been turned into an “aid budget” filled with temporary solutions.
She explained that programs like YAKAP, AICS, TUPAD, and the administration’s new UP-LIFT Assistance Program are prone to corruption and merely foster a sense of political indebtedness (utang na loob) using funds that ultimately come from the people’s own pockets.
Amidst these measures, she urged the government to address the real economic crisis by creating sustainable solutions rather than continuously giving out financial assistance.
