Senator Alan Peter Cayetano this week acknowledged the selflessness of community and youth volunteers by giving them assistance through his Sampung Libong Pag-Asa program.
Aired on June 14, 2023, the special episode featured 50 beneficiaries, of whom 14 were fire brigade volunteers, 13 were security guards, and two were youth volunteers who all continue to serve their communities even without a fixed salary.
“Whether or not may income, ‘pag may sunog o may kailangan bantayan, y’ung youth ministries natin, y’ung community volunteers, nandoon sila,” Cayetano said during the program.
The chosen beneficiaries each received P10,000 in cash aid which according to the senator is not only a “pantawid” (temporary relief) but is a “pang-ahon” (for recovery).
One of the beneficiaries was 40-year-old security guard Jerry Castillo, who thanked the program for the cash assistance that became the instrument for his “freedom” from financial hardship.
Ruben Obidos, a fourth year college student who voluntarily teaches the Bible to street children, also shared his own “kwento ng kalayaan.”
“Y’ung maging blessing po tayo sa iba, y’un po ang para sa akin ay kalayaan ko,” he said.
He thanked Cayetano for the cash assistance, which for him was a “huge blessing.”
“Malaking tulong po iyon lalo na sa aming youth volunteers na magagamit namin para sa mga [tinuturuan] po naming mga kabataan,” Obidos said.
Cayetano’s wife and City of Taguig Mayor Lani, meanwhile, encouraged the recipients to put the assistance to good use and make it grow.
“Napakahalaga na makikita ng may mga magagandang loob na kung sino ang binigyan ay pinagyayaman,” she told them.
“Nagtitiwala po kami sa inyo so we challenge you, pagtiwalaan po ninyo ang mga sarili ninyo. Magtatagumpay kayo sa awa at biyaya ng Panginoon,” she added.
Senator Alan started the SLP program in 2021 to complement the 10K Ayuda Bill, which he filed in the House of Representatives with the aim of providing each Filipino family with P10,000 in cash aid as they grapple with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 18th Congress failed to include the measure in the Bayanihan 3 COVID-19 package but when he won a seat in the Senate in the 19th Congress in 2022, Cayetano filed the proposed Sampung Libong Pag-asa Law providing the same benefits.
