Former Philippine ambassador to Saudi Arabia Adnan Alonto slammed the prevailing stop-gap measure of providing ayuda as it may create a culture of mendicancy.
Alonto said this during his May 6, 2026 Open Forum interview with Gloria Leodivica Araneta.
Alonto said while ayuda, per se, is not wrong, he would rather see people being taught how to find livelihood rather than letting them swim in dole outs.
He said conditional cash transfer programs like the so-called 4Ps worked well with Latin American countries and this can also work splendidly in the country.
However, he would rather see the government provide ayuda universally and not just provide aid to those in the fringes of society.
Alonto said that while providing aid to vulnerable sectors is a civic duty, the aid should be given to everyone and not just a few.
Alonto said instead of providing direct cash subsidy to affected jeepney or tricycle drivers, he would rather see the ayuda used to lower fuel prices so that even the middle class can reap the benefits of subsidies.
He said the ultra rich can afford the high fuel prices, and instead, extend help to all sectors , not just a few.
He said whenever there is a crisis, the go-to solution by the government is to provide ayuda or aid, he said.
He clarified there is nothing wrong about providing ayuda, but the government needs to start thinking outside the box and look for ways to help without resorting to just handing dole outs.
If every time a crisis comes around and ayuda is given, we may be creating a culture of mendicancy, he said.