Broadcaster and Senator-elect Raffy Tulfo. ARCHIVE

Philippine Senator-elect Raffy Tulfo received criticism from netizens after he expressed disapproval over providing aid to the middle class amid rising prices of commodities in the Philippines. Tulfo on Monday (June 27) made the statement in response to a lawmaker’s proposal to provide rice subsidy to poor and middle-income families. Tulfo stressed that government subsidies should instead target the minimum wage earners or those under the poverty line. “Middle class, I think, pag-aaralan muna. Pero below middle class, ibig sabihin yung mga mahihirap, yes na yes. (Aid for the middle class, I think, needs to be studied. For those below middle class, yes),” Tulfo said, “Pero middle class, for me, in my humble opinion, right now, without still looking at the facts and figures, I don’t think so.” Tulfo said the Philippine government should target those in the “poverty line” when giving aid. “Huwag na yung middle class (No need for aid for the middle class). Middle class can take care of themselves, I’m sure,” he said. A Philippine Star post on Tulfo’s comments sparked a flood of reactions from netizens, with many disagreeing with the senator’s views. “You’re not sure that the middle class can take care of themselves. First of all, not everyone has recovered from the pandemic, even companies. Not everyone also has jobs now, and the situations is still hard,” Razz Zuniga commented. “It seems you are invalidating the financial struggle of those in the middle class. Find better solutions for everyone, for every Filipino,” said Juliana Hezequiah, echoing the sentiments of many netizens. “The middle class are always overlooked even if they are the biggest tax payers in the country,” Potpot Mercado said in Filipino. “Tax discount for the rich, then subsidy for the minimum wage earner. So yung gitna, alay??? (So the middle class are sacrificial lambs???),” Kristian Ventura commented. Paul Benares and Alexi Francisco both called on the government to provide jobs instead, adding that it will help the poor in the long run. “I think that’s where you are wrong. Middle class are also struggling hard and ayuda (aid) is never the solution. It is only a quick fix to alleviate the problems,” Win BC commented. Radio broadcaster and senator-elect Tulfo took his oath on June 22. He garnered a total of 23,166,449 votes in the recent May 9 elections, making him the third most-voted senatorial bet after celebrity Robin Padilla and re-electionist Loren Legarda. ICA/Expat Media
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