The rice distribution in Brgy. 96 Calanipawan, Tacloban City (Speaker's Office) 

The office of House Speaker Martin Romualdez spearheaded on Friday, July 12, the roll-out of P14.1 million worth of benefits to Leyte residents as part of its continuing aid caravan under the “Bagong Pilipinas” (New Philippines) initiative.

During the payout held at Barangay 96 Calanipawan in Tacloban City, 1,000 qualified residents received P5,000 in cash and 1,000 worth of rice through the Cash and Rice Distribution (CARD) program.

The Speaker says the program is in fulfillment of President Marcos' promise to bring the government closer to the people. 

“The House of Representatives remains committed to supporting the continuation of these laudable assistance programs to bring needed relief to our citizens in need according to our President’s vision of a Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines),” added Romualdez, representative of Leyte’s 1st district. 

At the same time, about 2,000 residents of the municipality of Santa Fe received their cash payout of P4,050 each under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The payment to these residents came after 10 days of work as part of TUPAD’s initiative of providing temporary employment to workers in the informal sector. 

Romualdez was represented by his District Chief-of-staff lawyer Mark Reyes, in coordination with Santa Fe Mayor Amparo Monteza and DOLE North Leyte Field Office head Engineer Emmanuel Dela Cruz.

“Sa direktiba po ni Speaker Romualdez, patuloy kaming nakikipag-ugnayan sa mga local government units dito sa Leyte at sa iba’t-ibang ahensya ng ating pamahalaan upang maipaabot sa ating mga kababayan ang mga ayuda upang mapagaan natin ang kanilang mga pasanin,” Reyes said.

(With the directive of Speaker Romualdez, we continue to communicate with the local government units here in Leyte and with the various agencies of our government so that aid can be extended to our countrymen so that we can ease their burdens.)

The Leyte aid caravan kicked off last July 9 at the People’s Center in Tacloban City and the town of Babatngon.

The aid caravan is slated to continue its delivery of aid packages to qualified residents of Leyte until to July 19.