THE government has released more than P276 million worth of assistance to communities and areas affected by the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro.
President Marcos Jr. visited the municipality of Pola in Oriental Mindoro last Saturday and led the distribution of food packs, non-food relief items, livelihood assistance and other forms of aid such as fishing boats, fish smoking machines, water pumps, vegetable seeds and certified palay seeds to affected families and fisherfolks.
These were on top of the P98.6 million worth of family food packs the Department of Social Welfare and Development has distributed to the families affected by the oil spill in the province.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) released a breakdown of the different forms of aid distributed by the President,the concurrent Agriculture Secretary, for Pola and the rest of Oriental Mindoro that were affected by the oil spill.
These includes P143 million fertilizer vouchers and P12 million fuel subsidy that were turned over to 14 local government units (LGUS) and 12 LGUs, respectively. Oriental Mindoro municipalities that received the government aid include Baco, Bansud, Bongabong, Bulalacao, Calapan City, Gloria, Naujan, Mansalay, Pinamalayan, Pola, Roxas, San Teodoro, Socorro, and Victoria.
Also distributed were P152 million worth of hybrid seeds or around 30,500 sacks and two irrigation projects worth P10 million to Socorro and Calapan; P1.18 million livestock intervention fund for the Animal Raisers Association of Socorro; one post -harvest technology pack worth P335,739 to the Maasin Marine Protected Areas Association in Bulalacao; and units of hauling trucks awarded to three association in Calapan, Naujan and Bonabong.
Also distributed were P29.8 million worth of seeds, fertilizer, plastic mulch and other planting materials to 93 farmers’ association in the province; six pump engines to six organizations; P200,000 loans to 10 fisherfolks who received P20,000 each; P1.5 million fish cages that benefitted fisherfolk associations; 50 fishing boats to 50 fisherfolks from 10 municipalities; and 140 hook and line packages to fisherfolks form four LGUs.
The President also led the distribution of a total of P100,000 worth of assistance, or P10,000 each, to 10 micro-entrepreneurs from the Department of Trade and Industry and more than P8 million, or P20,054 each, to 4,000 beneficiaries from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under its assistance to individuals in crisis situation (AICS) and emergency cash transfer (ECT).
Also turned over to 10 LGUs were P102.98 million worth of Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) funds for 18,421 beneficiaries; P74,550 worth of TUPAD salaries of P3550 each to 21 beneficiaries; and P376,300 for the salaries of 10 government internship recipients or P37,630 each.
Among the activities or work done include oil spill clean-up along the coastlines, land clearing for communal garden, establishment of barangay and background gardening, hauling and handling family food packs, and clean up and desilting of canals for flood prevention.
Prior to the distribution, the President conducted an aerial inspection of communities affected by the oil spill in the province and joined agencies and local officials in a situational briefing.
