Former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday urged Filipinos to “hound the government” to do more to help people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as the number of cases continues to rise.
“Y’ung ayuda, y’ung puhunan, mga displaced workers, mga negosyo sa kaliwa’t kanan na kailangan ng tulong,” Cayetano said during the Sampung Libong Pag-asa program which was livestreamed on his official Facebook page on January 7, 2022.
(The financial aid and investment need to be directed to the numerous displaced workers and businesses that need help.)
“Let’s hound the government to do more, to help us more,” he added.
At the same time, Cayetano called on the people to practice bayanihan and support each other as the country struggles to get back on its feet.
“Let’s also do our part which starts with helping each other, with prayer, with being responsible,” he said.
Friday’s episode of Sampung Libong Pag-asa focused on teachers who have been having difficulty continuing their classes, many of them buying or borrowing equipment in order to deliver their lessons and lectures to their students.
Cayetano said it is important that teachers are supported and recognized for their dedication to education despite the constraints of the pandemic.
“Kailangan pa nating bigyan ng suporta at tulungan ang mga kababayan nating guro upang mapanatili ang kanilang mga trabaho at nang patuloy silang magbahagi ng mga aral sa ating kabataan,” he said.
(We need to support and help our teachers to keep their jobs so they can continue to teach.)
Friday’s program featured 50 pre-selected primary and secondary teachers from Cabuyao City, Laguna as beneficiaries. Cayetano was joined by Cabuyao City Mayor Rommel “Mel” A. Gecolea during the distribution of P10,000 in cash assistance to each teacher.
The episode also featured the story of Marilou Espiñosa, a single mother and online seller from Sta. Ana, Manila. Oftentimes, she resells soap but also takes food orders.
When Espiñosa received the P10,000 from Cayetano, she used P3,800 to fund her online reselling and the remaining P6,200 to buy ingredients for the food she cooks and sells. She earns around P1,000-P1,500 every two weeks of soap reselling.
“OK kami ngayon, kasi malaking bagay nga yung bigiay ni Sir Alan Peter kasi at least nakadagdag y’un sa amin talaga,” she said.
(We’re okay now, because what Sir Alan Peter gave us is a big thing and it really helps us.)
Launched on May 1, 2021, the Sampung Libong Pag-asa program gives P10,000 in financial assistance to select individuals affected by the pandemic.
Cayetano had spearheaded the initiative in order to campaign for the government to provide P10,000 in cash assistance to every Filipino family to help them with their daily needs as well as put up their own small businesses.
