Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo (File photo)
MANILA – The government should give all Filipino mothers a regular allowance worth PHP10,000 every month, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo suggested on Saturday.
Panelo made the suggestion, as he acknowledged that Filipino mothers, regarded as "ilaw ng tahanan" (light of the home), are the ones in charge of taking care of household expenses.
It is only right to grant a monthly allowance to all moms in the country, as the 1987 Constitution mandates the government to “serve and protect” all Filipino citizens, Panelo said during his commentary show Counterpoint.
“Ano ba ‘yung bigyan natin ng PHP10,000 na regular allowance ang mga ina ng tahanan. Oh eh di meron silang paglalaanan kung anuman ang gagastusin nila (We should give PHP10,000 worth of regular allowance to all moms. They would need that to pay their expenses),” he said.
Panelo expressed hope that a legislative measure granting monthly allowance to all Filipino mothers would be crafted.
He said his proposal covers housewives, single mothers, and even working moms.
Panelo raised concern that many mothers are suffering from mental health disorders, with some of them resorting to suicide because they could no longer carry the financial burdens while they tend to the needs of their family.
“‘Yung iba diyan, nagsu-suicide pa dahil walang mapagkukunan ng pera, walang mapag-utangan (Some of them are committing suicide because they no longer have the money and they could not borrow from anyone),” he said.
Panelo said the government should look after the welfare of Filipino mothers and make sure that they are being served and protected.
He said Filipino mothers’ lives would be more comfortable, once they receive the monthly allowance from the government.
“Kung meron ho silang allowance buwan-buwan na tatanggapin sa gobyerno, oh eh di medyo kumportable, hindi na sila mag-iisip, ‘di ba? (If they have a monthly allowance from the government, they will have a comfortable life. They no longer need to think of the expenses, don’t they?” Panelo said. (PNA)
