By Aira Genesa Magdayao
PUERTO PRINCESA – With the objective of providing the basic needs of selected indigent families, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Command (WesCom) and the Philippine Eagles Club-Palawan launched “Kapwa ko, Sagot ko” in Barangay San Miguel here.
(Photo Courtesy// Jarrod Asignacion/MANILA BULLETIN)
WESCOM Civil Military Operation (CMO) officer-in-charge Colonel Otto Thomas Pacia said that the program aims to taps individuals, to be called “kabayan”, who will able to support the basic needs of beneficiary families, or the “kapwa".
He said that there were many families which lost their main source of income loss due to the implementation of Enhance Community Quarantine (ECQ).
Pacia said that the barangay will identify the possible provider and beneficiary.
“Ang programang ito ay pagkakataon upang magsilbi sa mga naapektuhan alam naman natin na ang krisis ngayon ay hindi nakikita at sa pagtutulungan lamang tayo makakaahon sa panahon na ito. Naisip namin na aside sa binibigay ng gobyerno ay bakit hindi natin gawan ng tulay na ang mga mayron at wala ay mapagtagpo natin. Ang barangay naman siya ang magi-identify kung sino ang pwedeng makatulong at sino ang mga tutulungan,” he said.
Ronald Donesa, Puerto Princesa City Eagles Club auditor, himself a ”Kabayan”, said that they will strive to provide for the needs of beneficiaries.
“Isang dakilang gawain ang pagtulong sa kapwa na nangangailangan lalo na sa panahon ng krisis tulad ng coronavirus kung saan maraming manggagawa ang nawalan ng kinikita, para matustusan ang pangangailangan ng bawat pamilya kami, hindi lang ang Eagles kundi pati ang Western Command at ibang lkabayan ay napag-usapan na mapili ang mahihirap na pamilya sa Barangay San Manuel na mabibigyan food package sa abot ng aming kakayahan. Sana ang maliit na naitulong na ito na kahit hindi sapat ay makagapay sa inyong pangangailangan,” Donesa said.
Barangay San Miguel Chairperson Gloria Miguel said that she has already assigned the purok leaders to identify the beneficiaries for the project.
She said that there was no required amount or goods to provide per family.
“Ang usapan dito ay basta hindi magutom si Kapwa, more on goods at support lang. Dito sa amin ay inassign ko ang mga purok president na mag identify ng mga beneficiaries kasi sila mismo ang nakakalam kung sino ang indigent,” Miguel said.
She said that there were 210 “kapwa” families in their barangay.
On April 16, the same activity was also launched in Barangay Liwanag.