CALBAYOG CITY (PIA) – Beneficiaries of the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk, and Families (PAFFF) expressed their appreciation and gratitude to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the financial aid given to them in a ceremony held at the Northwest Samar State University, Calbayog City, on Thursday, July 4.
Fish vendor Bienvenido Margañas, 63, from Barangay Obrero, Calbayog City, said, “This is a big help as the prices of fish are increasing. The amount will really help me in my livelihood.”
Rudy Apolinar, a fisherman from Barangay Magsaysay, Almagro, Samar, shared how it was hard for him to make ends meet as he was getting old.
“Most of the time, I go home early because I can no longer bear staying at sea for a long period of time due to my age and some health issues. The financial aid from the president will surely help ease my problems,” Apolinar said.
Margañas and Apolinar are two of the beneficiaries whose livelihoods were adversely affected by the El Niño phenomenon. They both received P10,000 in cash assistance each through the PAFFF program.
On top of the financial assistance and 10 kilos of rice, the Department of Agriculture also released some P78 million worth of farm equipment and machinery for the farmers and farmers’ organizations in Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar.
Officials of the province of Samar, led by Governor Sharee Ann Tan, also expressed their gratitude to the President for extending government aid to their constituents.
“On behalf of the province of Samar, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our President and his cabinet secretaries sa lahat ng assistance at suporta na ibinigay ninyo sa lalawigan ng Samar at sa mga karatig naming probinsya dito sa Region 8,” Tan said.
The provincial government of Samar received P50 million from the president, while the provinces of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar received P25.9 million and P19.3 million, respectively.
A total of 6,508 beneficiaries are from Samar, 1,599 from Northern Samar, and 930 from Eastern Samar.
Sari-sari store owners among the beneficiaries
Maria Rachel Arranguez, a sari-sari store owner from Barangay Bachao, Almagro, Samar, shared her excitement to see President Marcos in person, on top of receiving P10,000 in financial aid.
“Iton yana nga 10K, idagdag ko sa akong puhunan para magdako dako liwat an akong puhunan sa akong sari-sari store. President BBM salamat san imo paghatag sa amon san 10K dagdag sa amon puhunan, sobra gud an amon pagpasalamat sa imo mahal nga President Bongbong Marcos. Salamat,” Aranguez said.
(The P10,000 aid will surely augment our capital for our sari-sari store. President Marcos, thank you for giving us the P10,000 cash assistance. We are so grateful to you, our beloved President Bongbong Marcos.)
Another sari-sari store owner, Concepcion Pellejera of Barangay East Awang, Calbayog City, said she’s happy that PBBM was elected as the president, as he always shows empathy for the poor.
“Nalipay ak kay kumanhi si President Bongbong Marcos, kami mga Calbayognon in nagpapasalamat ngan nalipay han imo bulig. Pasalamat kami nga ikaw an nagin presidente ha bug-os nga Pilipinas, waray mo kami pabay-i,” Pellejera said.
(I’m happy that President Bongbong Marcos visited us. We, Calbayognons, are grateful and happy for the assistance given to us. We are very thankful that you are the President of the Philippines; you did not abandon us.)
Aside from Calbayog City, the president also met the officials and beneficiaries from Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Biliran at the Leyte Academic Center in Palo, Leyte, where he also distributed similar assistance to the beneficiaries from the three provinces. (CBA, PIA Eastern Visayas)
