Sen. Cynthia Villar apologized yesterday over her remarks against the middle-class families who might be included in the government’s COVID-19 Social Amelioration Program.
Villar issued a statement after drawing flak from netizens for her statements during the Senate Committee of the Whole’s inquiry on the government’s COVID-19 response last Tuesday.
The senator said she continues to recognize the contributions of those in the middle-class.
“The middle class are the backbone of the Philippine economy and I recognize the workers’ contributions to the country and their families,” Villar said.
“The intention of my questions yesterday was to clarify reports about the middle class workers who remain employed but have been included as among the beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program of the government,” she added.
During the hearing, Villar questioned the basis of the 18-million target beneficiaries for the P5,000 to P8,000 emergency subsidy grant under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.
“Nade-deprive ‘yong mahihirap, at binibigyan pati ‘yong middle class,” she said then. (Vanne Terrazola)
