President Marcos jokes about ayuda for ‘persons without dyowa’

MANILA, Philippines — Does a broken heart qualify as a disability? President Marcos said he would have to ask the opinion of his lawyer wife, Liza Araneta-Marcos.

Marcos made the joke at the 73rd anniversary celebration of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Quezon City on Friday.

In his speech, the President highlighted the significant increase in the DSWD’s budget to P245 billion this year from last year’s P196.5 billion, which he said would support more Filipinos in need.

“Indeed, your activities cover from womb to tomb, from helping the homeless to sheltering victims of calamities, saving lives and providing livelihood, helping the sick, keeping mothers and their children healthy,” Marcos said.

“You operate orphanages for those in the dawn of life and homes for the aged for those in the dusk of life. You are first responders to disasters and frontliners in community development,” he said.

Marcos went on to say the DSWD also looks after the welfare of the PWDs or persons with disability, except the other kind of PWD, the “person without dyowa” – Filipino slang for lover.

“The welfare of PWDs is also in your mandate – except maybe for one type of PWD, the person without dyowa,” the President said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

 “Seriously, these people must have access ramps to government services. Let us not be deaf and blind to their grievances,” he said.

Marcos also made reference to an Ilocano trait of being frugal. Marcos’ family hails from Ilocos Norte.

“While Ilocanos are known to be Scrooge (kuripot), especially when it comes to people’s money, that (DSWD budget hike) is something I won’t refuse,” Marcos said in Filipino.

The Chief Executive cited the DSWD’s huge funding for the conditional cash transfer program, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps as well as the Social Pension Program for indigent senior citizens.

He also mentioned the P100,000 incentive provided by the DSWD to Filipinos who reach 100 years old.

“Let’s add to this the P49.8 billion for the social pension of 4.085 million seniors. As well as the incentives for super seniors, the centenarians, like Manong JPE,” the President said, referring to Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile.

He said Enrile would turn 100 on Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, and thus be qualified for benefits given by the DSWD under its Centenarian Program.

Marcos likewise cited the P4.1-billion budget for the agency’s food feeding program, which he said would serve tens of millions of hot meals to 2.027 million preschool children in communities; as well as the Food Stamp program, which gives P3,000 worth of food credit monthly to the poorest Filipinos.