Quezon City District 5 Councilor Aiko Melendez, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), has extended financial aid to 3,000 residents of the city.
Melendez said that the residents received P1,000 to P2,000 cash through the DSWD's Assistance to Individuals in Crisis (AICS) program.
The program aims to provide help to individuals/families in need of immediate aid or those who were affected by incident or disasters like fire and flooding.
"AICS is direct assistance provided by the DSWD to Filipinos facing crises. Our goal is to ensure that no citizen is left behind, and we will continue to strive to reach more of our fellow countrymen through this program," Melendez said.
The 10,500 beneficiaries were all from the city's fifth district who received the AICS from Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Senator Grace Poe, and Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid through the DSWD.
Melendez thanked the legislators and the DSWD for the assistance it extended to the coty residents.
"I am thankful that our office has become a channel for delivering assistance from the national government and our legislators to our constituents facing hardships and challenges in their lives," Melendez said.
Melendez said the distribution of the cash aid was done for the 10,500 beneficiaries since she returned to office following the presidential and local elections last May 2022.
She previously served as a councilor in Quezon City from 2001 to 2010.
Aside from the AICS distribution, Melendez has also facilitated medical assistance amounting to P20 million through guarantee letters for the city residents.
She also vowed to continue working with all sectors to provide help to the QCitizens.
Earlier, Melendez was cited with the "National Outstanding Humanitarian and Leadership Service" award by the Saludo Excellence Awards.
The Saludo Excellence Awards is an award giving body aims to recognize individuals, public officials and organizations who conducted charity works that helped in the improvement of lives of residents in their respective localities. It started in 2021.