President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday ordered cash aid for the bottom 50 percent of all Filipino households to be increased from P200 to P500.

Duterte, speaking in Malacanang Palace, said he told Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III to increase the amount because P200 a month will be too small.

He said he told Dominguez of the ''feedback from the ground'' after he approved it last week to help families cope with inflationary effects of high oil prices.

''I told him it is too small, too small for one month. That's why I said 'look for funding sources,'' said Duterte in his speech in Malacanang. ''Cannot sustain a family of three, even four, five. Those at the boom have many children.''

Duterte told Dominguez “it will be an uphill battle for the next generation of we make it 500 pesos.”

''I told him' leave it up to the next president where he will steal (the money). Let's give the 500 pesos'', he said as the crowd applauded him.

The amount is expected to help around 12.4 million families or 74.7 million Filipinos.

The beneficiaries will be based on the updated list of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and will be similar to the unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) provided under the TRAIN Law.

Earlier, Dominguez said the budget for the UCTs will amount to P33. 1 billion based on a proposed P200-per- month grant or P2,400 per year to be given to each qualified household. DMS