President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. emphasized the government’s efforts to improve the lives of Filipino people during his visit to the Province of Capiz on Friday (October 6) to lead the distribution of rice and cash aid to the vulnerable sector.
“Umpisa pa lamang po ito ng mga hakbangin ng gobyerno na mapaunlad ang buhay ng mga Pilipino mula sa pagpapalakas ng agrikultura ng bansa at pagpapalawig ng mga benepisyong handog ng iba pang mga sektor,” President Marcos said.
(This is just the beginning of the government’s steps to improve the lives of Filipinos, starting with strengthening the country’s agriculture and expanding the benefits provided by other sectors.)
President Marcos, together with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, personally handed out the rice assistance and livelihood grants to the program beneficiaries of the Department at the Capiz Gymnasium in Roxas City.
Some 1,000 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), 679 of whom were also affected by the red tide incident in the province, each received a 25-kilo sack of premium rice.
The distributed rice is still part of the more than 42,000 sacks of rice seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC), which was later donated to the DSWD for distribution to the ‘poorest of the poor’.
“Masaya po ako na maraming natutulungan ang ating proyekto. Ibig sabihin lamang nito tama ang ating direksyon sa pamumuno,” the President said.
(I am happy that our project is able to help many people. This simply means that our leadership is heading in the right direction.)
Aside from the rice assistance, President Marcos and Secretary Gatchalian distributed more than Php1.7 million in seed capital funds to six Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) Associations in the province of Capiz.
These SLPAs, composed of 122 members, are engaged in catfish production, balut production, retailing, community enterprise, and abaca trading.
The President also led the turnover of various government assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its line agencies, including the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) and the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI).
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Health (DOH), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) also handed out various forms of assistance based on their respective field of expertise.
“Tandaan po ninyo, kasabay ng pagsulong ng Bagong Pilipinas ay ang pagkakaroon ng panatag, masagana, at matatag na buhay! Angkinin na po natin ito,” President Marcos said.
(Please remember that, along with our Bagong Pilipinas campaign, comes the attainment of a peaceful, prosperous, and stable life! Let us claim this.) #
