Revilla leads cash aid payout in Mandaue

CEBU, Philippines —  Senator Bong Revilla led the distribution of assistance last Friday to 2,200 Mandaue City residents who are beneficiaries of the government’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).

 During the payout in Brgy. Opao, Mandaue City Lone District’s Rep. Emmarie “Lolypop” Ouano-Dizon thanked the senator, who was also celebrating his birthday that day, for the assistance.

“Sama sa kainit sa paggawas sa haring adlaw karon, akong mainiton, kinasingkasing ug dako nga pasalamat ngadto sa atong pinakasuod nga higala sa Senado, Senator Bong Revilla, sa paghatag og lain pang kaayohan ug way puas nga pagpadagayday og mga proyekto sa Dakbayan sa Mandaue ug sa Mandauehanons, “ she said.

She assured Revilla of support for the P8.8 million in financial assistance he set aside for this payout.

“Daghan kaayong salamat Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. sa pagbisita;’g balik sa Dakbayan sa Mandaue ug labi na sa paghatag og kaayohan sa mga Mandauehanon,”  Ouano-Dizon said.

She told The FREEMAN that those affected by the recent flooding in the city were also among those who received the P4,000 assistance.

She said most of the beneficiaries are members of the different homeowners associations in the city and were identified through the assistance of the different barangay officials.

The Distribution of the P4,000 to each of the beneficiaries, which was facilitated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7, was also attended by 6th district Board Member Thadeo Jonkie Ouano; Consolacion Councilor Alfie Ouano; Mandaue City Councilor Anjong Ouano Icalina; Mandaue City Councilors Nerissa Soon-Ruiz and Cesar Cabahug; and barangay officials.

Meanwhile, 750 residents also received the same cash assistance, this time from DSWD and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

In particular, 550 received the DSWD-funded AICS assistance while 200 got theirs from DOLE under its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced (TUPAD) program.

AICS “serves as a social safety net or a stop-gap mechanism to support the recovery of individuals and families from unexpected crises, such as illness or death of a family member, and natural and man-made disasters.”

It is part of DSWD’s “protective services wherein it provides medical, burial, educational, transportation, food and other cash assistance to persons or families in crisis situations.”

On the other hand, TUPAD is a “community-based package of assistance that provides emergency employment for displaced workers, underemployed and seasonal workers, for a minimum period of 10 days, but not to exceed a maximum of 30 days, depending on the nature of work to be performed”.  (CEBU NEWS)