Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate challenged top economic managers of the Duterte administration to try living on a measly P10,000 monthly budget after the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) claimed that a family of five can “live decently” with it.

“Sila kaya ang mabuhay na sampung libo lang ang budget para sa kanilang pamilya. Nasubukan na ba nila ito?” Zarate asked in a statement issued on Wednesday.

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“You are outrageously and shamelessly out of touch from reality,” he added, apparently directing his remark at Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Budget Secretary Carlos Dominguez, and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia.

The lawmaker criticized Diokno, Dominguez, and Pernia for “brazenly downplaying” the effects of the Tax Reform for Inclusion and Acceleration (TRAIN) law.

“Bumaba muna kayo sa inyong kinatuntungang matayog na pedestal at subukan munang pagkasyahin ang P10,000.00 ng kahit anim na buwan tapos saka kayo magsalita,” Zarate dared.

According to Zarate, these officials should not create policies that would hurt the poor, especially if they would not feel the alleged effects of the TRAIN law.

“Ang hirap kasi ay puro sila projection at plano sa NEDA, DOF at DBM pero hindi naman sila ang nakakaranas ng kahirapan na idinulot ng ipinilit nilang TRAIN law. Tapos kapag nagreklamo ang mga tao sasabihin nilang ‘crybaby’,” Zarate said.

NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillion said in a Radyo Inquirer report that the P10,000 monthly budget was only “hypothetical” even saying that NEDA never claimed that a family could live on such amount.

“With inflation for May at an all time high of 4.6%, these economic managers should be fired for adding a hefty burden on millions of Filipinos,” he added. /kga

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