DAVAO CITY – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. distributed more than P20 million in financial aid to farmers and fishermen affected by the El Niño phenomenon in the provinces of Tawi-Tawi and Basilan on Thursday, May 23.
MARCOS (center)
Marcos provided P10 million each in financial aid to Tawi-Tawi Gov. Yshmael Sali and Basilan Gov. Hadkiman Salliman-Hataman.
Farmers and fishermen received P10,000 each.
Marcos said in his speech that the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) had been declared under calamity because of El Niño and the government strives to mitigate the impact of the weather phenomenon.
“I witnessed your hard work and excellence. Rest assured that we will continue to strive to provide you with the service and care you deserve so that you can achieve your dreams in life,” Marcos told the crowd at the Department of Education (DepEd) compound in Tawi-Tawi.
At least 80 members of the House of Representatives, headed by House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, participated alongside the Chief Executive in the event that coincided with the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair, which aims to deliver frontline services and assistance to underserved communities nationwide.
Marcos thanked farmers and fishermen, including their families, for their sacrifices to ensure food security in the country. He assured everyone would receive proper assistance in these challenging times.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also distributed additional P10,000 each to 10,000 beneficiaries composed of farmers, fishermen, and their families. Romualdez’s office gave five kilos of rice each to the attendees.
Other agencies in attendance were the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Department of Agriculture (DA).