In an effort to help uplift the lives of more Filipinos in the countryside, Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano extended support to over 540 residents of Quezon Province on July 3 and 4, 2024.
On the first day of the activity, the ‘Bayanihan Caravan’ went to the municipality of Sariaya to deliver 210 sacks of fertilizers to the members of Castañas Centro Irrigators Association, Inc.
Castañas Centro Irrigators Association, Inc. is among the hundreds of sectoral groups from across the country that continue to receive aid from the sibling senators’ Presyo Trabaho Kita/Kaayusan (PTK) program.
PTK is a decade-old initiative led by the Cayetanos aimed at bolstering micro, small, and medium enterprises. It primarily empowers livelihood organizations by offering seed capital to establish their own low-interest loan facilities for their members.
“Ito pong binigay niyo sa aming livelihood assistance ay amin pong pauunlarin. Kina Senator Pia at Alan Peter Cayetano, lubos po ang pasasalamat ng samahan at ng Barangay Castañas,” Romeo Alcantara, president of the Castañas Centro Irrigators Association, Inc., said.
The distribution of fertilizers was accomplished in partnership with the Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
It was also made possible in coordination with Barangay Castañas Chairperson Cenon Albina and Barangay Kagawad Fredirico Alday, as well as the local government of Sariaya represented by Agricultural Technologist Amalita Amores.
On the second day, 500 youth, farmers, senior citizens, and family heads and other needy adults (FHONA) in the municipality of Catanauan received vital assistance from the sibling senators.
Through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD), the Bayanihan Caravan disbursed a total of P1.5 million in financial aid to the recipients in crisis.
The assistance can be utilized to cover various important expenses such as medical and educational needs.
Raquel Cabangon, a stay-at-home mother who strives to earn extra for the family by selling homewares online, said she will use the assistance she received to pay for her children’s tuition in college.
“Maraming maraming salamat po dahil nakarating po kayo sa bayan namin – ang layo po namin. Malaking tulong na po iyon sa pag-aaral ng dalawa kong anak,” she said, thanking the sibling senators.
The activity was successfully conducted with the help of Catanauan Mayor Ramon Orfanel, Vice Mayor Manuel Montano, Municipal Administrator Juan Casal, and Councilors Mayla S. Natividad, Godofredo A. Orfanel Jr., Tony Avila, Gary Averia, and Rojie Casal.
The Cayetanos’ team further maximized their visit to the province by meeting with the Pederasyon ng Magtatraysikel sa Bagong Lucena (PMBL), another PTK group, in Lucena City on July 5 to check up on their socio-economic growth.
Through the Bayanihan Caravan, the Cayetanos persist in closing the divide between accessible government aid and Filipinos in need, dedicated to their mission of national transformation.
