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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Bringing aid to indigenous peoples is what gov't should be doing—Marcos

Bringing aid to indigenous peoples is what gov't should be doing—Marcos

Published Nov 28, 2025 03:42 pm
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (RTVM)
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (RTVM)
President Marcos underscored that bringing livelihood assistance and government services to indigenous peoples is exactly what the government should be doing.
"Lagi kong sinasabi kasi maraming nagte-thank you. Huwag na kayong mag-thank you. Ito yung trabaho namin. Ito lang talaga ang dapat namin ginagawa (I always say this because many people say thank you. You don’t need to thank us. This is our job. This is exactly what we’re supposed to be doing)," Marcos told the IP community in Zamboanga City on Friday, Nov. 28.
"At sige lang, tuloy-tuloy — hindi namin ito ititigil. Hangga’t may buhay, itatrabaho namin ito (And we will continue — we will not stop this. As long as we live, we will keep working on it)," Marcos vowed.
The President led the distribution of livelihood assistance and delivery of government services to IPs during the “Handog ng Pangulo: Tulong at Serbisyo Para sa Indigenous People Communities” program held in Barangay Sinunuc, Zamboanga City.
He personally met with around 500 members of the Sama Bajau IP community during the distribution of assistance.
In his speech, he told them to never hesitate in reaching out to them for help.
"Huwag po kayong nagdadalawang-isip. Kung may kailangan kayo, kung may tanong kayo, magtanong po kayo. Kaya sila nandito upang turuan kayo, upang ipaalam sa inyo ‘yung ating mga serbisyo. Kaya kami nandito (Do not hesitate. If you need anything, if you have questions, ask. They are here to teach you and to inform you about our services. That is why we are here)," he said, referring to the various government agencies present during the event.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provided P10,000 each to 500 IP families through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program.
In addition, 71 families received grocery packs worth P3,000 under the Walang Gutom Program; 500 families received family food packs; and 100 beneficiaries were granted P15,000 each under the Sustainable Livelihood Program.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) assisted with boat registration and distributed informational materials, while the Office of the City Civil Registry provided free verification and certified copies of civil registry records.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) conducted program orientations and offered free business name registration; the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples issued Certificates of Confirmation and provided consultations on IP concerns; and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) distributed informational materials.
The Department of Health (DOH) also provided services and aid, including medical consultations, hygiene and oral care kits, jerrycans, nutrition counseling, family planning services, and health tests.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) facilitated national ID registration and updates and retrieval of transaction numbers during registration, while the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) offered skills enhancement and free grooming services.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) provided livelihood assistance and registration for the National Skills Registry Program, while PhilHealth assisted with membership registration and the Yakap Program.
Prior to the caravan, Marcos witnessed the turnover of 10 fishing boats, complete with accessories, to members of the Maasin Fisherfolk Association at the Sinunuc shoreline.

Related Tags

President Marcos Indigenous Peoples Zamboanga City Sama Bajau IP community
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