MAGALONG (FB)
BAGUIO CITY – The city government started distributing 50 kilograms of rice aid to 1,500 qualified beneficiaries on Monday under the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF).
“This is just the first batch, and we are thankful that the fund was released by the national government before the crisis, allowing us to have funds to help the residents,” Mayor Benjamin Magalong said in a media interview on Tuesday.
Magalong earlier thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the timely assistance.
The first batch is among the 13,655 qualified families in the city, identified by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) under the government’s food assistance initiative for indigent residents and marginalized sectors.
The beneficiaries are indigent individuals and families, solo parents, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, minimum wage earners, and bona fide residents of Baguio.
The CSWDO conducted beneficiary screening from April 13 to 24, district by district, to ensure order.
The distribution by district begins with beneficiaries in District 9, including San Antonio Village, Leonila Hill, Ambiong, Bayan Park Village, South Central Aurora Hill, East Bayan Park, and North Central Aurora Hill.
The mayor repeatedly assured that the process of identifying beneficiaries and granting approvals will remain non-political, adhering strictly to the eligibility criteria established by the CSWDO.
He also mentioned that beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) have been disqualified from the rice program because they usually receive assistance from other government agencies in addition to their regular 4Ps benefits.
The city government is purchasing rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) with the P56-million LGSF received in February 2026. (PNA)