Legazpi City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Bicol distributed PHP 90.3 million in financial aid to 18,078 beneficiaries on Tuesday as part of the ‘Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat’ event, coinciding with the 67th birthday of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.
According to the Philippines News Agency, Leslie Benbing, DSWD-Bicol’s crisis intervention section information officer, detailed that each recipient, hailing from various sectors across the six provinces of the region, received PHP 5,000. The beneficiaries included individuals from both formal and informal sectors, such as minimum wage earners and near-poor populations including fishermen, food vendors, barangay health workers, and barangay public safety officers (tanod). The provinces of Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, and Camarines Norte saw distributions of 5,664; 1,801; 2,824; 1,000; 4,789; and 2,000 beneficiaries, respectively.
“The financial aid will help with the needs of the family, particularly their food consumption,” Benbing noted, highlighting the impact of the assistance on the beneficiaries’ day-to-day lives. She also reaffirmed the department’s commitment to enhancing the lives of the poor and marginalized sectors through its ongoing programs and services.
Among the beneficiaries, Hilda Hular Balasta, a 48-year-old person with a disability (PWD) and owner of a sari-sari store from Sorsogon, expressed her gratitude for the aid. “Thank you so much, DSWD, for this financial support. It is a tremendous help for me, especially for my needs because I am a member of the PWD community. Also, thank you so much, President Marcos Jr., for this gift. Happy birthday!” she said.
DSWD-Bicol Regional Director Norman Laurio expressed strong support for President Marcos Jr. and his administration’s efforts, emphasizing their positive impact on the lives of Filipinos across the region.