Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano this week helped hundreds of residents of Baguio City recover from the effects of the fire and typhoon that recently hit the City by extending financial assistance under their Emergency Response Department (ERD) initiative.
The 400 beneficiaries consisted of vendors and laborers in the Baguio Public Market, which was damaged by a fire last March 12, 2023, and residents who were affected by Typhoon Betty last June.
In cooperation with the Department of Social Welfare and Development-CAR and the local government of Baguio City led by its Lone District Representative Mark Go, the Cayetanos’ ERD team distributed assistance to each of the beneficiaries.
Lilia Tiongson, one of the fire victims, thanked the senators for the assistance, saying it is through such help that vendors like her are able to start anew.
“Y’ung mga gamit kasi namin na mga kiluhan, IDs, ibang coins, at ibang papers — nasunog lahat ‘yun. Parang nagsisimula ulit kami,” she said.
Consorcia Domingo, a 68-year-old homemaker whose house was damaged by a landslide caused by Typhoon Betty, also benefited from the program.
She said she wanted to have her house repaired but has no means to do so because of lack of a source of income.
“Matanda na po ako. Nasa bahay lang po ako at nagre-recover mula sa cancer,” Domingo said.
She said she will use the assistance for the repair of her damaged house.
The Cayetanos also extended help to indigent patients in Baguio through a help desk.
One of the beneficiaries was Adelyn Ano, whose father-in-law underwent heart bypass surgery after a heart attack.
Ano runs a small family-owned business, but their income was not enough to cover all the hospital bills.
“Sa experience namin ngayon, kahit anong meron ka, kung nagkasakit ka ang bilis bilis maubos ng ipon,” she said, thanking the Cayetanos for the help.
Rep. Go’s wife Sol vowed on behalf of her husband to continue working with the Cayetanos for the benefit of the City.
She thanked the sibling senators for their “love for the people of Baguio.”
The ERD is part of the Bayanihan Caravan, an initiative of Senators Alan and Pia that goes around the country to provide various forms of assistance to different sectors.
