Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno (Photo from the Department of Finance)
Filipino households deemed most vulnerable to the impact of high fuel prices will no longer receive cash dole outs as the national government has wrapped up the targeted cash transfer program (TCT) with a total of P18.3 billion paid out. Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the government would now focus on efforts to ensure there are enough food supply and on bringing down the inflation rate. According to the Department of Finance, 9.2 million households benefited from the TCT program. Started during the Duterte administration, the program gave cash aid of P500 per month to poor households, as identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The program expired on Dec. 31, 2022, with the last payout distributed on Jan. 4 to Jan. 14, 2023.