Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian accompanied President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr as the Chief Executive visited his fellow Ilocanos in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Ilocos Region on Friday (July 19) to continue the distribution of Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk and Families (PAFFF).

Secretary Gatchalian assisted the President in the handing out of financial assistance to some 2,500 beneficiaries under the agency’s Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) at the Luna Municipal Gym in Luna, Apayao,

“Ang DSWD naman ay mamamahagi ng tig-Php10,000 para sa dalawang libo at limang daang benepisyaryo ng AKAP program,” the President said in his speech.

President Marcos said the drought has affected more than 28,000 farmers and fisherfolk in the Ilocos and Cordillera regions.

“Higit sa aking pasasalamat, narito po ako, kasama ng ilang opisyal ng ating pamahalaan upang maghatid ng tulong sa ating mga minamahal na magsasaka, mangingisda, at inyong mga pamilya. Alam naman po natin na lahat ng maraming kabuhayan ang lubhang tinamaan ng El Niño noong mga nakaraang buwan,” President Marcos told the beneficiaries.

The Chief Executive also handed over Php50 million to each of the provincial governments of Apayao, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province; Php34.5 million to the provincial government of Abra; and PhP29.7 million to the provincial government of Benguet.

After the distribution of cash aid in CAR, the presidential team headed to the Narciso Ramos Gymnasium in the Municipality of Lingayen, Pangasinan for a similar aid-giving activity.

“Nandito rin po, kasama natin ang kalihim ng departmento ng Social Welfare and Development, ang DSWD Secretary dahil po… alam ko na nakikita niyo siya kapag may bagyo, may baha, may lindol, pumutok ang bulkan dahil kapag may sakuna, may kalamidad siyempre DSWD ang pumapasok. Ngunit kasama siya ngayon dito dahil sa aming pananaw, ang mga pinagdaanan ng ating mga mannalon ken mangngalap ay talagang krisis din,” President Marcos said in his message to his fellow Ilocanos.

The DSWD chief and the President led the distribution of the Php10,000 cash assistance to some 4,000 beneficiaries of AKAP.

AKAP is a social protection program of the DSWD that provides cash aid to individuals who may not have access to regular forms of assistance because they do not belong to the poorest population.

President Marcos also handed out various farm machinery and equipment to farmer cooperatives and associations; cash aid amounting to PhP10,000 to each of the 10 select beneficiaries; and presidential assistance to the local governments of Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union.

Department of Agriculture  (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. was also present in both aid distributions.#