By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday distributed over P288 million in assistance to individuals affected by the dry spell in Western Visayas.
Marcos visited San Jose de Buenavista, Antique to turn over farm machinery and equipment, as well as cash assistance to farmers, fisherfolk, and families, as part of his promise to provide relief to all Filipinos greatly affected by the extreme drought during the El Niño months.
Marcos distributed P10,000 each to 50 select beneficiaries from Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras, Capiz, and Aklan.
Likewise, the five provincial governments received the following substantial amounts: PHP50 million each to Antique, Iloilo, Capiz, and Aklan, while P28,410,000 was given to Guimaras.
“Magtiwala po kayo na sisikapin naming maabot ang ating mga liblib na pamayanan sa bawat sulok ng bansa nang sa gayon ay walang maiiwanan at mawalang mahuhuli, at sama-sama tayong maglalakbay patungo sa Bagong Pilipinas,” Marcos said in his speech.
Other government agencies also distributed aid such as cash assistance worth P10,000 from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to 10,000 select recipients.
Each attendee also received five kilograms of rice from the Office of House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
In a separate distribution of assistance in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, which is now under the newly created Negros Island Region, Marcos also handed P10,000 to 10 beneficiaries in Bacolod City and another 10 in the province of Negros Occidental.
The city government of Bacolod also received a P10-million aid from the President while the provincial government of Negros Occidental received P50 million.
