(Eagle News) — Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia on Friday, June 8, denied the National Economic and Development Authority ever claimed that P10,000 were enough to sustain the needs of a family of five per month.
“Nauunawaan at ikinalulungkot ko na may mga taong nadismaya sa ginamit na halimbawa sa press conference noong ika-5 ng Hunyo 2018. Nililinaw ko po na hindi kailanman nabanggit ng NEDA na ito ay disenteng budget para sa isang pamilya,” he said in a statement.
According to Pernia, Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon merely used the P10,000 as an example to “show the effects of inflation for the month of May 2018.
He said the figure was, after all, “easier to multiply…depending on the actual budget of the family.”
“Sa kasawiang palad ay tinawag ito na ‘disenteng budget’ para sa pamilya sa isang news report na malamang ay dulot ng maling pagkakaunawa, maling konteksto o maling pagkakaulat,” he said.
The report first came out on GMA 7, and several other media outfits such as the Inquirer wrote follow-ups on the issue.
The Inquirer came out for instance with an editorial that assailed Neda for supposedly making the statement.
Pernia said the agency was now coordinating with “media friends” to “better explain the economic issues that affect our life.”
“Inuulit ko po, halimbawa lamang ang P10,000…Kaisa ang NEDA ng mga pamilyang Pilipinong nagsisikap para sa mas maginhawang buhay,” he said.