Some 30 pedicab drivers from the provinces of Pampanga and Nueva Ecija received P10,000 each through former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s Sampung Libong Pag-asa19 financial aid initiative on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
Ten pedicab drivers each were selected from the towns of Guagua and Floridablanca in Pampanga, as well as from Talavera, Nueva Ecija.
Another 20 beneficiaries from across the country were selected online, for a total of 50 cash aid recipients.
The Sampung Libong Pag-asa initiative, a brainchild of Cayetano and his allies in Congress, has so far reached more than 11,600 families since its launching in May 2021.
Mayor Dante Torres of Guagua, Pampanga praised the program, saying it was a great help to the pedicab drivers in his town who had been affected by the drop in passenger volume due to pandemic-induced restrictions.
“Ito pong bagong programa ngayon na tulong po sa ating mga padyak driver na tamang tama po ‘no, wala silang kita, malaki pong bagay ito,” Torres said.
(This new program that aims to help our pedicab drivers, they haven’t been making much money, this is a great help to them.)
The mayor added that he appreciates the nationwide scope of Cayetano’s cash aid initiative despite him not holding a national position at the moment.
“Sana ang ginagawa ni Congressman Cayetano, sundin ng mga ibang kandidato. Di ko alam kung lalaban siya, pero nandito palagi. Walang sinasabing pulitika, basta tulong lang sa ating mga mamamayan dito sa Guagua,” Torres said.
(I hope other candidates follow Congressman Cayetano’s lead. I don’t know if he would run, but he’s always there. No politicking, he’s just ready to help the people of Guagua.)
Talavera, Nueva Ecija Mayor Nerivi Martinez reminded the beneficiaries from her town to maximize the money they received and make it grow.
“Sa lahat ng nakatanggap ng Sampung Libong Pag-Asa, sana ay inyong pagyamanin, pahalagahan, itong biyaya na inyong matatanggap mula sa ating kasama, kasangga, kaibigan na si Congressman Alan Peter Cayetano,” Martinez said.
(To everyone who received cash aid, I hope you will make it grow and really add value to this blessing that you received from our comrade, ally and friend, Congressman Alan Peter Cayetano.)
Floridablanca, Pampanga Councilman Joe Rey Montemayor noted that it was the second time his constituents were chosen as beneficiaries of Cayetano’s cash aid initiative.
“Noong namigay din sila noon, sa mga barangay health workers ng aming bayan, at ngayon naman sa mga pedicab driver. So sa tulong nito ni Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, muli nilang maitataguyod ang kanilang mga anak sa kanilang pag-aaral,” Montemayor said.
(When they first handed out cash aid to people in our town, it was to our barangay health workers, and now it’s to our pedicab drivers. So with this help from Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, these people can again provide for their children’s schooling needs.)
