MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led on Thursday the distribution of PhP60 million in financial assistance and various government services to farmers and fisherfolks affected by the of El Niño phenomenon in Zamboanga Peninsula.

The Office of the President extended PhP10 million in aid to the city government of Zamboanga; PhP14.260 million to Zamboanga del Norte; PhP14.350 million to Zamboanga del Sur; and PhP20.300 million to Zamboanga Sibugay.

Also, 10 beneficiaries each from Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga Sibugay received PhP10,000. Also given were PhP10,000 each to 10,000 farmers and fisherfolks. The help was from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The Office of House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez also handed over five kilos of rice to all the attendees.

The DSWD will also implement its Cash for Work Program in Zamboanga del Norte (Godod, Gutalac, Jose Dalman, Siayan, and Sibuco), and Zamboanga Sibugay (Imelda), extending P21,907,500 in cash benefits.

In addition, the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair will be launched in Zamboanga City, the first in Region IX on May 10-11, 2024. Also, 49 national government agencies shall offer over 405 different kinds of services to around 107,000 beneficiaries.

At the same time, PhP456 million worth of programs and services will be provided to beneficiaries, with PhP178 million to be given in cash.

The DSWD will also carry out a city-wide payout extending PhP145 million to over 56,000 individual beneficiaries of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations.

Other province-wide activities include LAB for ALL services, scholarship programs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and livelihood assistance for various sectors.

The government has so far distributed various aids to communities affected by the dry spell.

Two municipalities and one city out of 67 municipalities and five cities in the Zamboanga Peninsula have been placed under a state of calamity due to huge losses incurred as a result of El Niño.

A total of 66,878 families or 334,391 persons in 165 out of 1,904 barangays were affected as of May 7 this year. (PND)