In case anyone needs reminding of just how small an amount P1,000 is – the same amount the House of Representatives on Tuesday endorsed as 2018 budget for the Commission on Human Rights – Twitter users Carl Javier and Jonathan de Santos started the thread #CHRbudgetcheaper to starkly illustrate how ridiculously underfunded the CHR will be.
Chances are the CHR will use up P1,000 for a month’s worth of printer ink, OR a month’s worth of paper. It will certainly not fund both paper AND ink.
P1,000 is a little less than the average worker’s jeepney fare for a full month. It will barely fill up a gas tank for a day. Not counting weekends, the CHR budget for the whole of 2018 is basically equivalent to an office worker’s daily weekday lunch – if said worker keeps to a budget of P50/meal.
“Mas malaki pa budget namin para sa pansit (Our budget for pansit is bigger),” de Santos commented.
To which Javier replied:
#CHRbudgetcheaper than IMAX date with popcorn
— carl javier (@carljavier) September 12, 2017
As for groceries, well, @mlordono had this list.
Hanggang saan aabot ang P1000 mo?
12.5 packs of yosi
14-27 kilos of rice
18 kilos of pechay
103M Filipinos’ human rights#CHRBudgetCheaper
— loreen ordoño (@mlordono) September 12, 2017
And as ride-hailing app users know, the CHR’s would-be budget is just as much or even cheaper than a ride during a traffic jam, as @thysz and @cbrodit pointed out.
#CHRBudgetCheaper than A FUCKING UBER RIDE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH IN THIS MESS OF A METROPOLIS
— TITA SHARK (@thysz) September 12, 2017
#CHRBudgetCheaper than an Uber/Grab ride from Makati to BGC on a Friday night. ?
— Carlos Brodit (@cbrodit) September 12, 2017
Beauty buffs like @nagiisangbibe won’t get their fix either, if they only had CHR’s budget.
#CHRBudgetCheaper than a Kylie lip kit
— Maraiah (@NagiisangBibe) September 12, 2017
Travelers can also relate to @amicahantonioo’s observation.
#CHRBudgetCheaper than the rebooking fee of Cebu Pacific
— ᜀᜋᜒᜃ (@amicahantonioo) September 12, 2017
CHR’s budget – if the Lower House has its way – doesn’t even come close to @2k0n3’s EverWing score.
Mas mataas pa score ko sa everwing #CHRbudgetcheaper pic.twitter.com/wZYVs3ZAk7
— est. (@2k0n3) September 12, 2017
It’s also less than the cost of a drinking spree, @shaerie_nich pointed out.
#CHRBudgetCheaper than 1 case of Emperador Lights. ?
— Nich? (@shaerie_nich) September 12, 2017
It wouldn’t even cover @stormberry’s utilities.
#CHRBudgetCheaper than our monthly electric bill
— ?nne (@stormberry) September 12, 2017
iPhones and Nokia 3310s are definitely much more expensive than the CHR’s budget, @ceowin and @missmansanas added.
Anyone excited about Apple’s event tomorrow? New iPhone is expected to cost 50x that of Philippine Human Rights. #CHRBudgetCheaper
— Jobo Lau (@ceowin) September 12, 2017
#CHRBudgetCheaper than the new 3310.
— Apple (@missmansanas) September 12, 2017
@IELumapas also showed how much smaller it is than the amount it takes to replace a flagpole in Luneta Park.
#CHRBudgetCheaper than ⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/BDuTbm2VnZ
— Ian (@IELumapas) September 12, 2017
But it wasn’t just the CHR whose budget got cut drastically. The House of Representatives set aside P1,000 each for the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), too.
These amounts aren’t final, however. The 2018 budget bill will still go to a bicameral committee to be joined in by members of the Senate.
Got anything to add to the #CHRBudgetCheaper thread? Tell us in the comments section.