Bukidnon 2nd district Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores (center) receives the P500,000 in cash from representatives of House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Rep. Flores' office)



The office of Bukidnon 2nd district Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores became the latest to receive calamity assistance amounting to P11 million from House Speaker Martin Romualdez and his wife, Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez on Thursday, June 29. This, after parts of Bukidnon was ravaged by flood last June 21, resulting to the displacement of thousands of families. The Romualdezes have prepared an assistance package consisting of P500,000 worth of cash assistance; P500,000 in relief goods; and P10 million worth of payouts from the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program. "We are united with the province of Bukidnon during this time of need. With the steady resolve of Congressman Jonathan and Congresswoman Yedda hope that the flood victims would be able to get back on their feet sooner than later," Speaker Romualdez said in a statement on Thursday. The P500,000 cash assistance and P500,000 meant for the purchase of relief goods were turned over to Flores' office earlier Thursday. The money came from the personal relief funds of the Speaker. The relief goods for the Bukidnon folk had been ordered in advance. Speaker Romualdez; Rep. Romualdez, chairperson of the House Committee on Accounts; and Deputy Majority Leader Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre had earlier provided a similar assistance package to the first three congressional districts in Albay that bore the brunt of Mayon Volcano's ongoing  restiveness. The assistance benefited the thousands of individuals who were forced to flee to evacuation center's amid the possibility of a major eruption from Mayon. According to the latest count, at least 6,810 families have been adversely affected by the flooding in Bukodnon that took place last June 21. Affected were 482 familes in Highway Cabangahan; 941 in Aglayan; 265 in San Jose; 401 in Bangcud; 636 in Sinanglanan; 462 in Violeta,;537 in Sto. Niño; 1,386 in Managok; 821 in Simaya; and 879 in San Martin. As for the P10 million under AICS that was facilitated by the Romualdez couple through their coordination with DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, this will be distributed next week, the Speaker's office said. “I would like to commend the Speaker, Congresswoman Yedda, and Congressman Jude Acidre for their assistance,” Flores said in a separate statement Thursday afternoon. The AICS payouts are seen to greatly help local folk in the efforts to repair or rebuild their homes that were damaged during the calamity. Meanwhile, Flores said he would use the P500,000 cash assistance to put up a community pantry for the flood victims. He would take a cue from Albay 3rd district Rep. Fernando Cabredo who set up a community pantry using produce brought from local farmers.