BIÑAN CITY, Laguna (PIA) — Over 5,000 poor residents in two cities in Laguna were given cash and rice support from the government as it launched on Sunday a new assistance program for vulnerable families.
The program, dubbed as Cash Assistance and Rice Distribution (CARD), was simultaneously unveiled in the National Capital Region (NCR), covering 33 legislative districts in 17 cities, courtesy of the Office of the President, House of Representatives and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez led the distribution in the cities of Biñan and Sta. Rosa where recipients that included senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), single parents, and indigenous peoples were each given 25-kilogram rice and P4,000 cash assistance.
Romualdez said the initiative aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision of providing affordable and high-quality rice to vulnerable communities.
“This program was developed in response to the challenge set by President Marcos Jr. to Congress to find ways to provide our communities with affordable and high-quality rice,” he said.
Local legislators and other officials showed their support for the launch of the Cash Assistance and Rice Distribution (CARD) Program spearheaded by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, House of Representatives, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). (Patricia Bermudez/PIA-4A)
The Speaker emphasized that the target is to reach 10,000 beneficiaries per district. In addition to rice and cash assistance, the Speaker distributed various prizes, including new motorcycle units, educational kits, and grocery packs to the beneficiaries.
Santa Rosa City Vice Mayor Arnold Arcillas expressed hope that the cash assistance would be used by the beneficiaries to enhance their livelihood.
He said: “The cash and rice subsidy given to our constituents can somehow help. The cash can be used as seed money if they want to start a business, and the rice is sufficient for their needs.”
Santa Rosa resident Joana Ferrer expressed gratitude for winning a motorcycle unit and receiving a rice pack. She plans to convert the motorcycle into a tricycle, which her husband can use for transportation.
“Thank you so much because I never expected to win, not even in my dreams. To everyone involved in the Bagong Pilipinas, this is a tremendous help for us, the less fortunate,” she added.
Local legislators, including representatives Len Alonte – Naguiat of Biñan City and Dan Fernandez of Santa Rosa City, Governor Ramil Hernandez, Laguna 2nd District Rep. Ruth Mariano-Hernandez, DSWD Region IV-A Regional Director Barry Chua, and other officials showed their support for the program.
“This is just the beginning of continuously providing relief to our citizens. Rest assured that the Office of the Speaker and the entire House of Representatives, together with President Marcos, are always here to ensure that there is sufficient funding for programs dedicated to ordinary Filipinos,” Romualdez said. (CH/PIA-Laguna)
