Former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday said serving those in need can bring about positive change in the country in ways that political mudslinging can never do especially as the 2022 national election approaches.
“Helping, being an example, showing people that you are Christ-like, is more important,” Cayetano said in a Facebook livestream before the start of the Sampung Libong Pag-asa program on November 29, 2021.
He said service and leadership are more important at this time when the country is beginning to emerge from the adverse effects of the pandemic.
This is the reason Cayetano and his allies in Congress are continuing the Sampung Libong Pag-asa program as it gives families a chance not just to survive the pandemic but to recover from it.
Launched on May 1, 2021, the program gives P10,000 in financial assistance to select individuals affected by the pandemic.
As of November 27, a total of 14,147 have already received the cash assistance.
Cayetano spearheaded the initiative in order to campaign for the inclusion of the P10,000 financial aid provision under the Bayanihan 3.
The 10K Ayuda Bill was filed in February and was consolidated into Bayanihan 3, but the provision of P10,000 for every family was not adopted.
“Sa sampung libo, nabayaran mo na ang konti mong utang, nakabili ka ng pagkain for one week, meron ka pang negosyo,” Cayetano said.
(With ten thousand, you have paid off your little debt, you have bought food for one week, you still have business.)
The latest episode of Sampung Libong Pag-asa on November 29 featured 25 pre-selected destination tourist guides from Lubang, Occidental Mindoro.
Local government officials expressed their gratitude and support for the former Speaker and his livelihood program.
“Natutuwa kami at nabigyan kami ng pansin, nabigyan kami ng pagkakataon,” Lubang Mayor Michael Oryani said.
(We were excited that we were given attention, we were given a chance.)
Mayor Oryani was joined on site by ABC President Aldous Lim, Lubang Municipal Coordinator Wilfredo L. Bleza, and the 10K Ayuda beneficiaries.
Success story
The latest episode featured Alissa Donna Refran, a homemaker from Santa Rosa City, Laguna who was selected as a beneficiary on June 23, 2021.
A mother of five children, of whom three are still studying, she has struggled to cater to the family’s needs using her husband’s salary as an on-call driver earning P537 a day.
When she received her cash assistance, she used P3,000 to start her own turon business.
“Nagtinda ako ng bananacue, turon, at saka kamotecue. Maganda naman ang kita,” Refran said.
(I sold bananacue, turon, and kamotecue. The income is good.)
With her small business, she is able to contribute to the family’s budget for daily food and other necessities for the children.
“Nung time na natanggap ko yung ayuda ni Congressman Alan Cayetano, namuhunan ako kada araw ng P1,000. Kumikita iyon ng P500. Masaya ako, malaking tulong yan para sa amin,” she said.
(When I received Congressman Alan Cayetano’s help, I invested P1,000 per day. That earned me P500. I’m happy, that’s a big help for us.)
