[ANALYSIS] Free money for every Filipino, at least during emergencies

Economists like to say there’s no such thing as a free lunch. But this is the closest thing to it — and we may very well need it. To quell the spread of COVID-19, the Duterte government shut down big chunks of the Philippine economy, in the process erasing thousands — if not millions — of jobs and livelihoods. That is why the government, at the same time, doled out aid through its emergency subsidy program (ESP).

The ESP is arguably the biggest aid distribution program in Philippine history, covering nearly 18 million (or about 3 in 4) Filipino households.

The […]

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