Philippine president approves aid package for poor
Updated
Philippine president Gloria Arroyo has approved a package that would see poor families receive cash handouts and subsidies worth up to 2 billion dollars.
Some 23.5 million Filippinos would benefit from the package which aims to help them tide the rising cost of food and fuel.
Aside from the straight doleouts scholarship grants and interest-free loans to poor students have also been approved.
The government says it would use sales tax revenues from high petroleum prices and loans offered by foreign governments to finance the doleouts.
