“Matumal kasi naapektuhan ang hanapbuhay dahil sa landslide at mga sakuna na nangyari sa paligid.”
Recounting the challenges she faced as a calamity victim in Davao de Oro, Lovely Joy Herrera said her livelihood has yet to bounce back months after heavy rains inundated the area in February of this year.
“Noong kasagsagan ng ulan, wala kaming hanapbuhay kasi ‘yung pinapasukan naming tunnel ay pinasara at ‘yung partner namin ay hindi nakapagtrabaho. Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit di sapat ang pang araw araw namin,” Herrera, who is from Pantukan, said.
“Kaya malaking tulong po talaga itong natanggap naming blessing ngayon. Makakabili para sa pang araw-araw na ulam, gatas,” she added.
Herrera is one of the 2,641 Dabawenyos who received vital livelihood and recovery aid from the offices of Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano, in partnership with local governments and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) this week.
From May 30 to June 1, 2024, the Cayetano team visited the cities of Panabo and Tagum in Davao del Norte, to the municipalities of Pantukan and Maco in Davao de Oro to provide crucial assistance to communities in need.
All these were accomplished through the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Program and with the Cayetanos’ Emergency Response Program.
On May 30, 579 residents of Panabo City who were mostly women, solo parents, maternal seminar attendees, and barangay health workers received aid to supplement their daily needs. On the same day, the team also visited Maco to provide recovery aid to 578 flood victims at the Barangay Poblacion gymnasium.
The next day, May 31, two batches of beneficiaries received aid in Maco and Tagum City. The first one was another assistance drive in Maco where 304 residents were given flood recovery aid at the Barangay Panibasan gymnasium. In Tagum City, 676 solo parents, youth, BHWs, and maternal seminar attendees received livelihood assistance.
The Cayetano team’s last stop was in Pantukan on June 1, where they provided recovery assistance to 500 residents who were also affected by the flood and landslide incidents early this year.
Herrera thanked the senators’ assistance, highlighting that what they received was practical and timely. “Mayroon pong mga NGO (non-governmental organizations) at sa gobyerno na pumunta na dito tsaka natulungan kami, pero hindi tulad ng ganito [kila Cayetano] na pangkabuhayan talaga ang natanggap namin,” she said.
“Salamat po Senators Alan Peter at Pia Cayetano dahil marami kayong natulungan tao dito sa amin kahit malayo po, napuntahan niyo po kami,” she added.
These assistance distributions were successfully done with the help of Panabo City Mayor Jose Relampagos, who was represented in the event by Josie Mary Relampagos, Tagum City Mayor Rey Uy, and Davao de Oro Province Vice Governor Tyron Uy.
In the events in Pantukan and Maco, Vice Governor Uy was represented by Pantukan Municipal Councilor Hannie Trangia, Former Board Member and Barangay Captain Raul Timogtimog, and Maco Councilor Madie Carl Sahid respectively.
With the aim to provide relief (pantawid) and recovery/rehabilitation (pang-ahon) packages to displaced Filipinos, these assistance drives are part of the Cayetanos’ Emergency Response Program (ERP) which helps victims of fire, earthquakes, typhoons, landslides, accidents, and other tragic incidents.
While the Senate is currently in session break, the teams of Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano continue to visit provinces to touch base and deliver a number of assistance services to uplift communities across the nation. ###
