By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
“Your government is there, your government is beside you, your government is behind you.”
Making this simple but powerful message truly resonate with his constituents, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. brought the administration’s Local Government Support Fund (LGSF)-backed initiative to Obando town in Bulacan on Thursday.
As he led the ‘Bawat Bayan Makikinabang’ program in Obando Central School, the President began the event through a brief engagement with the 55 Presidential Scholars, who were among the beneficiaries of the Socio-Civic Projects Fund (SCPF).
“Ang edukasyon po ay hindi pribilehiyo. Ang edukasyon para sa akin ay karapatan ng bawat bata, karapatan nila at ‘yun ang katungkulan ng pamahalaan, na makapagbigay ng magandang edukasyon sa bawat isa na nais mag-aral.” Pres. Marcos Jr. said during his speech.
Each scholar received P20,000 in financial support to sustain their education, which forms a fifth of the P100,000 allocated to five learners per barangay.
This is included in the ceremonial turnover of the P2.2 million in funds that were given to each barangay in Obando, which would be used in funding various projects and initiatives geared towards uplifting the community and the lives of its residents.
A total of 2,083 beneficiaries, which also includes members of the vulnerable sector such as bantay dagat, estero rangers, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, jeepney drivers, and tricycle drivers, received 10 kg sacks of rice through this initiative.
In his speech, President Marcos Jr. checked on the welfare of Obando residents, who were among the communities that were affected by smoke inhalation from the Navotas landfill, which the President declared as fully extinguished last week.
He went on to underscore the administration’s focus on looking after the welfare of learners and teachers through initiatives such as the YAKAP Program, which he touts as pivotal in uplifting the country’s education system.
To conclude, the Chief Executive assured that the government listens and will give to Filipinos their needs, saying, “Hindi lang po kami ay nagdadala ng programa; kami po ay nakikinig din sa inyo. Kung anuman ang inyong pangangailangan, kung anong sa palagay ninyo ang dapat ayusin, kung ano pa ang kailangan ninyo, kung ano pa ang dapat gawin, hangga’t kaya ng pamahalaan, gagawin po namin.” (with report from Clay Pardilla | PTV News)
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