Cayetano: Gov't aid not ignoring middle class

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano stated on Monday that the Philippine government has not left the middle class behind in its COVID-19 assistance efforts.

Cayetano noted that while aid may be insufficient, measures such as extended bill payments and tax filing without penalties have been implemented to support those affected.

President Rodrigo Duterte had previously directed his economic team to consider including middle-class households in cash subsidy programs following suggestions from Cavite Governor Juanito Victor Remulla.

A 2018 study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) classified 40% of the population as middle-income and 58% as lower-income.