ILOILO – Different government agencies extended assistance to the victims of Severe Tropical Storm “Paeng” in Antique.
The turnover of various aids was done during the visit of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in the province on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) provided family food packs to the towns of Tobias Fornier and Anini-y.
Of the 6,732 affected families in Tobias Fornier, 1,561 have so far received family food packs. Some 1,261 of the family food packs came from DSWD while 300 were from the provincial government.
In Anini-y town, 300 family food packs from DSWD and another 150 food packs from the provincial government were distributed to the affected families.
Some 1,171 Antiqueños also availed themselves of financial assistance from DSWD amounting to P5,000 each.
A total of P5,855,000 were distributed to the affected families from Hamtic, San Remigio, San Jose, Sibalom, and Patnongon.
Meanwhile, Marcos personally led the turnover of livelihood package vouchers from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through its Pagbangon at Ginhawa Program to an initial of six micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from San Jose and Culasi towns.
The President also turned over P1 million from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for the pangkabuhayan projects of 56 beneficiaries from Barangay Igbarawan, Patnongon.
The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) and Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (ProVet) also received aid from the President.
The ProVet, under the government’s Livestock Program, received veterinary drugs and multivitamins, dewormer, anti-bacterials, and disinfectants worth P42,950.
The OPA, on the other hand, received P13 million worth of palay seeds under RCEF of the Department of Agriculture. This will be distributed to 6,800 rice farmers in Antique.
Meantime, 60 units of 30-footer fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) boat marine engine were distributed to the affected fisherfolk in the province.
The DA also turned over vegetables seeds worth P970,000 to OPA which can be grown to 200 hectares of farmland. (With reports from Province of Antique Facebook page)/PN
