Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday extended aid to more than 300 residents in Bulacan to help them recover from the economic impact of the recent flooding in the province due to Typhoon Egay.
The senator’s Emergency Response Department (ERD) team collaborated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to distribute assistance to flood victims in Calumpit, Hagonoy, and Malolos City.
The disbursement was held at the Bulacan State University Hagonoy Campus under the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), a program that provides various forms of aid to Filipinos facing extreme economic hardships, including support for medical, food, or educational needs.
One of the beneficiaries was Christian Esguera, a 43-year-old father of five who works as a timekeeper for a construction company.
“Kapag wala kaming trabaho, wala rin kaming inaasahang sweldo. Kaya nito pong nagdaang kalamidad, dumanas po kami ng pagsubok sa pangangailangan sa pang-araw-araw,” he said.
Heavy rains brought by back-to-back Super Typhoon Egay and Typhoon Falcon, coupled with an enhanced southwest monsoon, caused extensive flooding in many parts of Bulacan for more than a month, resulting in more than P500 million worth of infrastructure damage.
“Malaking bagay po ang tulong na ibinigay niyo sa amin upang makabangon po sa aming kabuhayan,” Esguera said, thanking the senator.
Ailene Sacris, a stay-at-home mother of three from Malolos City, likewise expressed gratitude for the aid.
“Gagamitin ko po ito para sa mga gastusin sa bahay. Uunahin ko po y’ung pagkain, bigas, y’ung iba para sa bayarin sa school,” she said.
Cayetano’s ERD initiative is part of his Bayanihan Caravan program, in which he teams up with various national agencies and local government units to reach out to Filipinos in need and empower disadvantaged sectors.###
